《Quick Transmigration: Sorry, I Never Loved You》


 Chapter 1 - 0.1 - Death

    It didn''t take long for Xu Jiaqi to accept that she was ruthlessly plotted against by her stepsister and fianc¨¦.


    That she wouldn''t live up to another day.


    The peerless daughter of the Xu family, standing on top of millions with her prowess.


    What did she not have?


    Power, wealth, beauty, intelligence, everything was in her palms.


    She only lacked one thing.


    The ability to understand love.


    ______


    "Xu Jiaqi, you don''t love me." A man''s voice trembled as he spoke, falling to his knees.


    His hands were covered in blood that was not his.


    Just a meter away from him, a woman on the brink of death was breathing heavily, struggling to keep her consciousness awake.


    "..What do you mean? I love you, I am willing to marry you, start a family, and end up lovingly looking after our grandchildren in our late years.. Wang Zhengyu, what else is there?" Blood dripped from the corners of her mouth as she spit out those words, using all the strength that was still left in her.


    She had been cornered into the edge of a cliff. A knife stabbed deep into her abdominal area a few minutes ago and left a gaping wound. Large amounts of blood spurted out of her body, her vision was turning hazy, but she held on.


    She couldn''t fathom what happened to her. What she did in order to deserve this.


    In front of her stood a man named Wang Zhengyu, the fiancee she was intertwined with by her family''s will.


    Both the Xu and Wang family were powerful households. The engagement was made to better the relationship between the two families, to ensure a smooth cooperation and long lasting benefits.


    Xu Jiaqi had been raised as the perfect daughter from birth, so she had no qualms. She viewed the world as a linear progress.


    Being born, studying, working, building a family, settling down as an elder, and death.


    To her, it was a given that she should climb up the world''s ranks as she grew up and eventually meet a good match for her.


    This Wang Zhengyu was precisely the man she envisioned, a man who was an equal to her and could contend with her moves.


    But these two shared a difference.


    "Wang Zhengyu, this defeat, I already admit it. Just tell me... Why?" Xu Jiaqi choked up those words, struggling to breathe as her wounds worsened with every passing second.


    Xu Jiaqi did not feel sad. She was disappointed, but not sad. She thought that Wang Zhengyu was the same as her. They spent their childhood together, growing up side by side, and even their work matters were closely related.


    Although she did not have desire for the man, it was enough for her to feel comfortable staying by his side. She did not have any complaints.


    "That isn''t love," A tear slid down the man''s cheeks. "Jiaqi, what you described, that isn''t love!"


    He looked anguished, much more in pain than Xu Jiaqi, who was nearing the end of her life.


    Xu Jiaqi parted her lips, but no words of defence could come out.


    "Jiaqi, do you know? I have been waiting for years, years to no end, waiting for you to spark any type of feelings towards me. But you never did. Don''t you realize? Everything you have done for me, it wasn''t done out of love for me. You just want to sculpt your perfect life on your own accord, but I can''t do that. I can''t be like you."


    "You are comfortable with me because I satisfy your qualifications, that I can give you a stable life."


    "I have always felt pressured whenever I''m with you, Qiqi. I should''ve known from the start. When I first fell in love with you because of your excellence, I realized that you are different. You never looked at me as Wang Zhenyu, but rather a man that can satisfy your twisted simulation of a ''perfect life''."


    "Don''t you know how vexing that is? To be treated by the one you loved as not yourself, a living human with thoughts and feelings, but rather a ''character'' that goes with your goals?"


    Throughout Wang Zhengyu''s speech, Xu Jiaqi was silent. She did not know how to reply to this situation. How she should react.


    Normally, she would carefully construct the best option for her to take, considering all her experiences and knowledges before forming a step.


    "Xu Jiaqi, you are not qualified to talk about love. An emotionless person like you can''t understand it." Wang Zhengyu''s eyes were bloodshot as he said that.


    Giving up, Xu Jiaqi let out a long sigh. She laid on her back, feeling blood seep out of her body and her eyes dimming.


    "...You''re right, I don''t understand. Or rather, I can''t understand." Xu Jiaqi closed her eyes as she lamented.


    She only wanted to hold on to her fleeting life because she couldn''t find a speck of sense in what Wang Zhengyu and her step sister did. She never considered them to be her enemies, so this plot she fell into was shocking.


    Turns out, they were so different. She failed to see the man''s change all these years, it could also be counted as her mishap.


    Wang Zhengyu ''once'' loved her. The way he phrased it meant that he was no longer in love.


    His answer was insensible in her eyes, but to him, it was the belief he firmly grasped.


    There was one more thing left unanswered at this point. After she receives this answer, she was set to pass on.


    She wasn''t the type to hold meaningless grudges, but she wasn''t going to let herself be wronged too. Alas, it was already the end of her life, what use was it to hang on to this life?


    "Then, why is my sister involved in this plan? You couldn''t bear to stick a knife in me, but you could watch me slowly die?" Xu Jiaqi asked, laughing darkly as she watched her step sister looming behind Wang Zhengyu.


    Her step sister, Xu Jiaxin, was adopted by her mother. She was the daughter of her mother''s close friend who died in an accident. When she first came, Xu Jiaxin was a sweet girl who kept smiling at everyone.


    Xu Jiaqi wasn''t particularly fond of this sister of hers, nor did she hold any ill intent. She kept a neutral balance and treated her fairly.


    So why did she plot with Wang Zhengyu?

 Chapter 2 - 0.2 - System

    "Xu Jiaqi, you really are brainless. I have always thought that you were smart, but turns out you can''t even comprehend this kind of simple thing," With a set of depreciating laughter, Xu Jiaxin approached her sister.


    "Ahh, my dear sister. I was really envious of you, but look where we are right now? In the end, am I not the winner?"


    "Xu Jiaxin, stop talking in circles. I''m about to die, just answer my question straight away, en?"


    Xu Jiaxin crouched down and grabbed her sister''s chin, jerking it upwards. "Sister, we are both daughters of the Xu family, are we not? We are both humans, we try hard to do our best, so why is it that you are always better than me? I hate being second, you know?"


    "Haah.. I can''t believe I still have to spell it out for you. Xu Jiaqi, we are always being compared, every single move we make is analyzed, but you somehow do everything better than me, so I hate you. Hate you to the point where.. I want to erase your existence out of the world."


    "I admit, you really are a prodigy, ah. Much better than me. What I need to do with five hours of hard work, you can do it within an hour," Xu Jiaxin said. "Then, I realized that you were actually stupid. I used this filthy method to win over you, I know it''s unfair, but didn''t I win anyway?"


    Xu Jiaqi couldn''t muster up any more strength to reply and weakly mouthed the words ''you are despicable''.


    "Don''t worry, I will take good care of this silly Wang Zhengyu. Thanks to you, he was depraved of love, so I just had to come and sweep him in with simple tricks~ I roped him in, and he willingly helped me set up so much plans. You can pass on now and bless our love as a vengeful ghost. Count the Xu family inheritance as mine.. Those old bones are all about to die, everything will be mine soon!" With a wretched expression, Xu Jiaxin said.


    This case, Xu Jiaqi couldn''t accept. It just didn''t click right in her head.


    Compared to Wang Zhengyu, who brought up the topic of love, she was dissatisfied with what Xu Jiaxin presented.


    All of this, wasn''t it just blind hatred? Vicious!


    Xu Jiaqi frowned as she felt another rush of pain spread through her body. She coughed a mouthful of blood onto Xu Jiaxin''s lap, which caused the woman to shriek and back away.


    Her vision darkened, and she finally lost control over her body. She closed her eyes and accepted her death bitterly.


    What was done couldn''t be reverted. She was not an expert in medicine, but even a regular person would be able to tell that Xu Jiaqi was beyond saving.


    Letting out her last breath, Xu Jiaqi was declared dead that very moment.


    ''I never understood some things people conceived as normal.''


    ''Out of all the stupidity that roams the world, I find love to be the most irritable thing.''


    ''Why do we need love? Is it edible? What good does it bring?''


    ''From what I''ve heard, love is poisonous. So much of my acquaintances got in heaps of trouble, and some had it even worse. They were tricked, used, and abused. Some even lost their lives.''


    ''Love is like a disease. A disease I wouldn''t ever want to get in touch with.''


    ''Then, on the topic of my sister, I also couldn''t fathom how she was able to draw such a dumb conclusion.''


    ''Mindless envy.''


    ''I know she wanted to win against me, but what did I do to deserve death?''


    ''I know myself, I know her. It''s been years since we first met.''


    ''She would never be able to win against me, but instead of accepting that loss, she actually wanted to use such a despicable method. What did she want to achieve? After winning against me, what does she get?''


    ''I loathe that sort of attitude, but there''s nothing I''m able to do now that I''m deceased.''


    ''Wang Zhengyu mouthed so much about love, but according to Xu Jiaxin''s words, he was used, used to the point of no return ah.''


    ''Haah.''


    ''Do they really think this is inside a novel? Committing a crime like that, especially against me, the heiress of the Xu family. They think they will be let off?''


    ''First mistake was setting me as a target. Second mistake was thinking that Wang Zhengyu is my only ally. Third mistake is.. moping about love in the first place.''


    ''Love should''ve never existed in the first place. They criticize my views on the world, but I am just being sensible.''


    ''Love.. should just be destroyed.''


    [Really?] A strange voice appeared.


    ''Really. Have you not seen my life? It was perfect, everything was going well, I just needed to go along with it until I die as a white-haired grandmother. My biography would''ve been serene and peaceful down to the littlest details.''


    [The data states that in your career, you have destroyed 136 companies as a result of your actions, whether direct or indirect.]


    ''Well, to carve the perfect mold, sacrifices are needed.'' Xu Jiaqi calmly replied.


    [Xu Jiaqi, this one feels like you are pitiful, you haven''t lived your life out to the brim yet. You have fallen before you could do so. Thus, would you like to enter the Host program?]


    ''A sudden promotion?'' Xu Jiaqi mocked.


    Turns out, this mysterious voice was only a salesman? What kind of sketchy ploy is a ''Host program''?


    Her parents once warned her that plotters exist in every single corner of this universe, this must be another plotter looking for preys. She won''t fall for it.


    ''No''. She refused without much thought.


    [Xu Jiaqi, this one feels like you are pitiful, you haven''t lived your life out to the brim yet. You have fallen before you could do so. Thus, would you like to enter the Host program?]


    ''...''


    A second offer?

 Chapter 3 - 0.3 - Bound

    ''No.'' She tried refusing one more time.


    [Xu Jiaqi, this one feels like you are pitiful, you haven''t lived your life out to the brim yet. You have fallen before you could do so. Thus, would you like to enter the Host program?]


    The third offer.


    Xu Jiaqi was dumbstruck. So persistent!


    Xu Jiaqi: Alright, you asked for it. Let''s fight.


    ''No.''


    [Xu Jiaqi, this one feels like you are pitiful...]


    ''No.''


    [Xu Jiaqi, this one feels.]


    ''No.''


    [Xu Jiaqi...]


    ''No.''


    After continuous back and forth banters, with the voice repeating the exact same sentence and Xu Jiaqi refusing to give in, silence finally occurred.


    A long, long silence. The last speaker was Xu Jiaqi. Her words were of course, a simple no.


    Finally, the voice gave a different dialogue.


    [..Won''t you listen to my explanation first?] The voice was noticeably irked compared to the beginning.


    Xu Jiaqi paid no attention to the voice''s tone, she was happy that it broke the seemingly endless chain.


    ''HA! I won.'' Xu Jiaqi celebrated, praising her patience and willpower.


    In truth, she also wanted to hear what the System had to say.


    ''You can explain now, I''ll be the bigger person and listen.''


    [...] The voice made an audible sigh, showing strangely humane traits.


    Bigger person, where is this bigger person? Clearly there was only a childish Host candidate.


    [Simply speaking, if you bind with me and register for the program, then I can give you life as an exchange for your work.]


    ''...I have to work for reincarnation?'' Xu Jiaqi questioned.


    Once deceased, wasn''t she supposed to enter the gates of the Underworld and undergo trials there to decide her destination?


    This was different from the teachings she received, ah.


    [Usually, no. But you are an anomaly. Don''t worry, you are not the only one. Your current state is that of a fleeting soul, bound to no realms. You have been rejected from the cycle of rebirth.]


    ''Wait, why was I rejected?''


    She had accumulated quite the fair share of good deeds. Shouldn''t she have good karma piling up?


    The answer she received made her want to ruin that mountain of good karma she had brought up.


    [Because the Lord God said so.] The voice stated without a hint of remorse.


    Xu Jiaqi was stunned.


    ''Are you.. being serious right now?''


    [The Lord God said so.] It repeated.


    This time, Xu Jiaqi didn''t want to protest and continued asking.


    ''So, what are you? An angel? A devil?''


    [I am what you call a System, and if you bind with me, you will be my Host. We will go through realms to experience lifetimes together, possessing certain suitable bodies and extract life from them after our missions end. Once you accumulate enough life, you can start to gain authority and will be able to enter the cycle of reincarnation at your will. You would also be able to voice out other wishes along with it. Great, right?]


    ''This relationship, is it mutually beneficial or am I the only one profiting? What do you get?''


    [I will receive a share of the life you accumulate in exchange for my service. That is how I upgrade and strengthen myself.]


    ''What happens if I refuse?''


    [If you don''t bind with me, your soul is never going anywhere and will stay here forever. Not able to reincarnate, not able to disperse. Doing nothing for the rest of eternity.] The System rapidly told.


    ''..That does sound unpleasant.''


    [Right? So, bind with me.] The System stated as if it was a righteous and benevolent being who lowered a hand for the unlucky Xu Jiaqi.


    ''What missions will I receive?''


    [It depends on the target. Side Quests might also be issued if you trigger the right scenario. Normally, a world would have one Main mission and up to three Side Quests. The topic might range from romance, achievements, helping other characters, overcoming disasters, or you might also be asked for a large scale quest like saving the world, which will in turn give you large benefits.]


    ''Out of the list, I only have complaints with romance.''


    [...You''re confident in saving the world?]


    ''Not exactly, but knowing myself, don''t you think I have a higher chance of saving the world rather than falling in love with somebody?''


    [You don''t have to fall in love with the characters, you can act. Romance missions are directed at the romance target, not yourself. For example, you can just act like you are in love with them until the mission completion.]


    ''Act? Like what Xu Jiaxin did to Wang Zhengyu?'' Xu Jiaqi frowned internally. She knew that she was capable of acting, but acting in love ws a separate matter for her. ''Just to remind, I don''t have any love experience.''


    [If you want to put it that way, then yes, act like Xu Jiaxin to fulfill the mission.] The System confirmed.


    Thinking about it, Xu Jiaqi sighed. To think that she would have to act for the same reasons she loathed her step sister for.


    However, if there was no other choice, then she would do it.


    After all, there was no way that she would fall in love, right? To complete her mission, it had to be done.


    ''Alright, I don''t believe that failure is in my bloodstreams.'' Xu Jiaqi was not stubborn, she quickly accepted the fact that there was no other choice since she was stuck in this indescribable feeling of existing, and yet not existing at the same time.


    [Failure is really not in your bloodstreams, ah. I did a medical checkup on your previous body, and you turned out to be very healthy except for your brain, which lacked serotonin. That might be why Lord God decided to reject you. On the other hand, your bloodstreams are completely normal.]


    ''...I said that as a metaphor.'' Xu Jiaqi muttered.


    [Host Candidate: Xu Jiaqi. Initializing binding process...] The System ignored Xu Jiaqi and started up the process on its own.


    ''So it''s starting, huh?'' Xu Jiaqi let out a gentle sigh as she felt her soul drift away and be sucked into the System''s process.

 Chapter 4 - 1.1 Love Is Blind

    A sudden wave of dizziness, accompanied by a strong headache hit Xu Jiaqi''s soul. She felt herself be pulled into someone''s body, and thousands of memories entering her brain at the same time.


    Wincing, she clenched her fists until all the painful waves went by.


    ''System, are you there?'' she called out.


    [Yes, Host. I am assimilating our presences with the world, to allow a safe and sound entry. Else, the world might reject us and expel our souls.] The System explained.


    ''So, what am I supposed to do while I wait for you?'' Xu Jiaqi questioned, her eyes struggling to gain a clear vision.


    [Take a look at the plotline. I will send it to you, please look over it carefully.]


    More information entered her head, and this time it wasn''t just her body''s experiences.


    The story was set in the modern era.


    There were several terms that Xu Jiaqi encountered. Male lead, female lead, second male lead, supporting character, and so on. These terms built up a cast and were essentially the people who played the story out.


    The male lead, Zhou Yuan was a very ambitious man. He was an orphan who had high intelligence and was given the chance to study under scholarships and sufficing his life needs by working hard until he passed with a college degree, interned in a decent company, and set off to his adult life with exemplary qualifications.


    However, he still lacked one thing that prevented him from achieving his goals. Money. With no money, Zhou Yuan''s career would be severely hindered and delayed. He had great ideas, but if he wanted to soar on his own, he needed monetary support.


    Who would dare to give support to this young man, who seemingly had no real business connections, didn''t have a family, and had no entrepreneurship experience?


    Naturally, since he was the male lead, there was one anonymous sponsor that actually helped his funding without much questions. They had little to no physical communication, but the sponsor would always be ready to hear his idea presentation out and agree to his proposals. Zhou Yuan tried to meet this benevolent savior of his, but the sponsor never gave in and kept their connection restricted to online deals. The sponsor also mentored him on the arts of business, teaching him things that he was never taught in conventional studies, or even giving the list of people who were suitable to be partnered with and who should be avoided.


    After his company was established, he stood on top of the ranks as the Chairman and settled down as a successful, well known figure in society. Being a young, promising man whose career seemed to be soaring non stop.


    The world''s female lead is called Bai Mengxue, a lovable young lady with a sunny and bright personality. From childhood, signs that she was a beloved daughter of the heavens were already visible. She came from an ordinary family, but that didn''t stop the heavens from throwing down luck at her. She was a fragile beauty that you couldn''t help but want to protect upon seeing her face front. Everybody loved and doted on her. Bai Mengxue would later intern in Zhou Yuan''s company, and go through a series of cliche opportunities, building favorability points with each fateful encounter.


    The second male lead would be Qin Zicheng, Zhou Yuan''s colleague who he met during a business expense. Qin Zicheng was secretly the son of a large enterprise, and was set to be the heir of his family business. He admired Zhou Yuan for his success story and countenance. Later on, he would also encounter Bai Mengxue and brush up the favorability points in consecutive coincidences, which led him to adore the woman.


    Where was Xu Jiaqi in this story, you say?


    Remember the ''anonymous sponsor'' that stayed beside Zhou Yuan as he built his business empire? That was her current body.


    Her ''character'' was just a measly supporting character who bore the same name as her: Xu Jiaqi. She was the daughter of Xu Enterprise, a powerful entity whose authority did not only cover the country, but also stretched to international


    In the midst of all of his trials and tribulations, the story''s Xu Jiaqi would be there, silently supporting the man as he climbed up the staircase to success. Due to her privileged identity, whenever Zhou Yuan met trouble or needed help, Jiaqi would come and lend a hand, making the male lead''s rise to power not as rocky and hard as it was supposed to be.


    However, this Xu Jiaqi was a little bit stupid. She clearly knew that she loved the man, but couldn''t muster the courage to say that she was the one who gave him support. The reason? She was afraid that the man would think he is being belittled and come to dislike her.


    Thus, Xu Jiaqi could do nothing but watch as Zhou Yuan fall for Bai Mengxue, spoil her with love, whereas her efforts went undiscovered. Xu Jiaqi''s stupidity did not end there, she was actually still willing to assist Zhou Yuan from the shadows even after the main couple got together.


    The second male lead Qin Zicheng was also rather foolish, but not as much. He liked Bai Mengxue, but also knew his bounds. Since the girl he liked was happy standing beside his best friend, he offered unconditional support for the couple and helped clear out obstacles for them.


    The main couple was able to live on happily, their success rising further and further as the years passed.


    The second male lead and other supporting characters? Of course, they were set to be discarded after having served their uses.


    After several minutes, the System returned and confirmed several things with Xu Jiaqi, perfectly completing their assimilation process.


    [We are set, Host.] The System announced.


    Xu Jiaqi hummed as she, too, had gotten familiar with her bodily functions. The transmigration was really smooth, she felt like she truly had lived the full twenty three years of this world''s Xu Jiaqi and was not just an intruder.


    ''I find that this body is.. rather easy to work with. My parents love me, I''m beautiful, I have great qualifications, I can actually build the perfect life I desired in the past right here and now.'' Xu Jiaqi stood in front of the mirror as she communicated with her System.


    She admired her features. Since Xu Jiaqi lived a privileged life from early on, she was blessed with flawless skin and a great body. Her appearance was well taken care of. Thanks to her parents'' great genetics, her features were also well defined and fit right into the ideal beauty standard.


    [That is probably the accommodation made by the generator after considering that this is your first world. It''s not strange, Host.] The System answered.


    ''About my desired life.. Do I have to follow the story line you gave me?''


    [The story you were given described an entire life time in a few paragraphs. Details were omitted. Thus, the only thing you need to follow is the general plot. To take your character as an example, you just need to keep the key components of your character intact. Support Zhou Yuan, admire him, be a great daughter, et cetera.]


    ''So, outside of that, I can act freely?'' Xu Jiaqi grew hopeful.


    [Since your personality isn''t described, then yes. However, in future worlds, if the story described the way you act in the summary, then you have to act accordingly.]


    Ecstatic exclamations and fireworks bloomed inside her heart. Freedom was possible.


    ''Then, what are my missions?'' Xu Jiaqi was reminded of the missions she needed to complete.


    The System grew silent.


    [...Host, please keep calm even after you receive the missions.]

 Chapter 5 - 1.2

    The System''s tone was off. Xu Jiaqi wondered just to what extent the missions'' severity went to.


    A bad omen?


    She gulped a mouthful of saliva as she nodded, allowing the System to relay the information to her.


    In a few seconds, several pop ups graced Xu Jiaqi''s vision.


    [Main Quest: Giving Solace to A Pitiful, Unloved Woman.]


    [Details: Xu Jiaqi loved Zhou Yuan for so many years, and yet her love was never reciprocated. She ended up dying with her contributions unannounced, and her wishes left unfulfilled. She never loved another person, and no one loved her in a romantic way. To change this, find someone who fully loves Xu Jiaqi and spend a lifetime with them.]


    [Side Quest: A Thousand Years Worth of Love.]


    [Details: ???]


    Two quests were issued. Just by looking at the first one, Xu Jiaqi was frightened to death. Her fears had come true.


    Romance! Isn''t this a romance quest?!


    Romance! Her nemesis, the hateful trope she never wanted to cross!


    "...System?" Xu Jiaqi gritted her teeth as she consoled herself, bearing the injustice that happened to her.


    [Yes, Host?] The System adopted a pitiful, innocent tone as he spoke in her mind.


    Oh, how she wanted to hug this little baby to death. How cute ah~


    "What is this?" Xu Jiaqi pointed to the mission window in front of her.


    [Your quests, Host.] He answered dutifully, still using the same annoying tone.


    "I know, I have eyes." Xu Jiaqi cracked her knuckles, her emotions fluctuating internally. "But a romance genre as the Main Quest, right off the bat? What will happen if I don''t fulfill this quest?"


    [Well.. Obviously, the world will be declared as failed, and your soul will be returned to the space you were in last time. However, that does not end your journey because your soul won''t be erased unless a large mishap happens in between transmigrations, which it won''t.]


    "Failure.. Haah, I, Xu Jiaqi, have never failed in my entire life." Xu Jiaqi crossed her arms domineeringly, a piercing glare decorating her beautiful pair of eyes.


    [Hehe. Does that mean.. Host really will look for a partner to love? Man, woman, it doesn''t matter.] The System acted coy, infuriating Xu Jiaqi even more.


    "A partner to love? You mean, a partner that will love me? Going with your previous suggestion, I will just act my way out of this mission. There''s no helping it." Xu Jiaqi sighed, contemplating who could she rope in to become her partner.


    She had just gone through a scheme where one of the perpetrators'' motive was unbridled love, how could she have a good feeling towards that pesky emotion?


    [Eii, that''s no fun..] The System lamented.


    Xu Jiaqi glared at the System, who possessed the form of a floating light ball that roamed the air freely. Her eyes conveyed her intense killing intent.


    "..Do you want to be beaten up? Listen up, avoid romance quests as much as possible in the future, I don''t want to be tied down by these love farces."


    [I have no control over the world, character, or mission generator, Host. Everything is done automatically, I am just a transmitter for the set up. If we get stronger together, however, I believe that it would be possible to tweak some things, but grand changes would be impossible if the generator already declared a decision as final.]


    "Logical." Xu Jiaqi accepted the System''s explanation. Although she was still somewhat unwilling, she wasn''t unreasonable.


    She was currently in the status of a worker, as opposed to the past where she was always the leader. In order to get her wish fulfilled, she had to bear with this line of work.


    Suddenly, the System, who had been playful ever since they got inside this world, became still.


    Xu Jiaqi raised a brow at the light ball.


    [Host, please pull yourself together. A vital character is approaching right now. Detecting: Male Lead, Zhou Yuan''s incoming presence.] The System''s tone turned deeper and much more serious, making Xu Jiaqi be affected too.


    [Please remember the storyline and act accordingly.] He reminded.


    Her brows knitted as she checked herself from head to toe once more, making sure that nothing was out of the place.


    It was time to work. This would be her first task!


    She immersed herself, preparing for the upcoming encounter. She repeated words of self praise, intending to brainwash herself and condition her mind to work the way she wished for it to.


    Xu Jiaqi: Hmp. My acting is flawless, just like me. Just watch me, these romance tasks will be swept clean in no time.


    System: Hehe, I hope that''s the truth. Counting on the peerless Host.


    In a few seconds, the door was harshly opened, creating a large banging sound. It revealed the figure of a tall man who had a scary glint in his eyes as he strode over to Xu Jiaqi.


    Xu Jiaqi flinched as she shielded herself.


    "Xu Jiaqi, what on Earth did you do to Mengxue?!" His voice was as loud as thunder. Being in close proximity with him, Xu Jiaqi felt her ears ring.


    She was confused. Wasn''t the original Xu Jiaqi supposed to be a meek, silent supporter from the dark? How come she got involved with Bai Mengxue? Clearly the storyline depicted her giving up easily after realizing that Zhou Yuan''s happiness lied on Bai Mengxue, ah.


    Xu Jiaqi sucked in an array of sharp breaths as her expression softened, looking at the angry Zhou Yuan with tender eyes. "What happened, Zhou Yuan? Calm down, ba. It''s not good to be this agitated." She said with a bitter voice.


    "Mengxue told me everything. I don''t need to waste my time, I just came here to remind you.. don''t dare touch Mengxue! She is innocent, she hasn''t done anything. Your devious schemes should be directed towards me instead!" Zhou Yuan declared.


    Xu Jiaqi displayed a tired expression, as if heartache was consuming her from inside out and yet she could only suppress it.

 Chapter 6 - 1.3

    "..You''re not even going to try and listen to me? Zhou Yuan, am I that insignificant in your eyes?" Xu Jiaqi''s eyes watered as she looked at the furious man, her face pale and distraught. "Listen to me first, I really don''t know what you are talking about. Is there a misunderstanding I''m not aware of?"


    She extended her hand to let her fingers latch onto Zhou Yuan''s clothes, but the man abruptly slapped her hand away and put up a disgusted expression.


    "What more explanation do I need? Mengxue wouldn''t lie to me. She is a good girl, unlike you, who only likes to hide behind your parents and play tricks here and there!" Zhou Yuan scolded.


    Xu Jiaqi cowered. Tears finally fell out of her eyes and poured nonstop. She bit her lips, her entire body trembling as she looked up at Zhou Yuan, who was at least a head taller than her.


    Xu Jiaqi was trying out the arts of ''Being a White Lotus''. In stories, this art was very powerful, of course she ought to try it out.


    To be a white lotus, you have to firmly believe that you are never in the wrong, you are always innocent, everybody should protect and cherish you with all their might. You have to act strong, act as if you are bearing a mountain''s worth of weight piling down on your shoulders.


    However, in case of trying to draw pity, then you can repeatedly claim that it was your fault! But do not elaborate on the details, do not try to explain the case. Just repeat ''it''s my fault, I am the one you should blame'' a thousand times.


    Next step, if you did something wrong, then you must turn the tables around and point the crime to another person using clever ways! Of course, don''t forget to cry at every turn you make. Tears are powerful, they are every white lotus'' main charm, their unbeatable weapon!


    If you are wronged, cry. If you are not wronged, cry. At every intersection of your life, if there is a goal you need to acquire, then you must aptly follow the supreme white lotus teaching and cry!


    Of course, you have to cry beautifully to incite good feelings.


    Xu Jiaqi: Begging for sympathy, begging for pity, wua wua wua!


    Seeing her waterworks show, Zhou Yuan actually took a few steps backwards as he didn''t think that she would display such a heavy reaction. He just came here to remind her that she should keep her conduct straight.


    Last night, Bai Mengxue had came to his room with tears streaming down her face, but she didn''t come to complain to him. Instead, she went straight for the bathroom and cried inside, trying to keep it as silent as possible. Zhou Yuan, who had begun to have deep feelings for this woman couldn''t help but grief along with her.


    Bai Mengxue refused to tell what had happened even after he pestered her over and over again. Then, when she had gotten too tired and almost fell asleep, Zhou Yuan heard her quiet mumbles.


    "I''m sorry, Jiaqi.. I didn''t mean to approach Zhou Yuan.. I didn''t know you loved him that much.. It''s my fault, I shouldn''t be with A'' Yuan.." Those were Bai Mengxue''s spoken words before she fell asleep in Zhou Yuan''s cradle.


    Very easy to misunderstand.


    "Zhou Yuan, you are being unreasonable. As the Xu family''s daughter, I wouldn''t lower myself down to scold others just for the sake of a man." Xu Jiaqi gritted her teeth, putting up a wronged expression.


    "I.. I trust Mengxue!"


    Although Zhou Yuan''s conscience was starting to shake due to Xu Jiaqi''s powerful counters, he still remembered Bai Mengxue''s lasting impression and stood by his previous assumptions.


    This was exactly where Xu Jiaqi couldn''t help but kowtow to the fate''s purposeful attraction. So convenient.


    Who was Bai Mengxue? A normal girl who popped out of nowhere with little to no special qualities to her. There were thousands of others who were like her, but because she was the predestined main character, she was chosen to instill favor in the leads'' hearts.


    Who was Xu Jiaqi? Just going by her status, she was supposed to be a born winner in life. Only, she had bad eyes and failed to take good decisions that ultimately resulted in her loss. She is one of a kind. All of her assets accumulated would be enough to destroy a city if she wished for it.


    If Bai Mengxue wasn''t the main character, Xu Jiaqi was clearly the better pick here.


    Xu Jiaqi: If I was Zhou Yuan, I would pick myself in a heartbeat. I''m so pretty, so lovable, so smart.


    System: Nod, nod. Anything that satisfies Host. As long as I get to eat my fill.


    "Fine," Xu Jiaqi let out a cold laugh. "Zhou Yuan, you not only failed to recognize a diamond, but also threw it away for a cheap rock."


    "What are you trying to say?! Are you mocking Mengxue?!" Zhou Yuan protested, his previous hesitations towards wronging Xu Jiaqi all thrown down the gutters.


    "I am, so what? You can''t blame me for being ruthless in the future. Since you want to protect that Bai Mengxue that badly, I''ll let you protect her! After all, in your eyes, I''m just a wretched villain that deserves to be eradicated, right?" Xu Jiaqi scorned. "I didn''t know that you were this daring. In your eyes, is my Xu family easy to bully?"


    "Zhou Yuan, I will let you know that I am not just a woman you can willfully accuse and not suffer any consequences for. Opposing me is the same as opposing the Xu family!" Xu Jiaqi landed a crisp slap onto the man she deemed as brainless before pushing him out of the room and slamming the door shut.


    Xu Jiaqi: This is the correct way a heiress should be acting like!


    The slap''s sound was so satisfying~

 Chapter 7 - 1.4

    The original was meek after being blinded by love, letting herself be trampled over without retaliating.


    To this, Xu Jiaqi wanted to protest with all her might. This was indeed her first world, purposefully made easier for her to go through. So many challenges depicted in the storyline would be ruined if Xu Jiaqi just changed her countenance.


    Clearly, Xu Jiaqi had the potential to be a lot more. In the story, she was not even a side character, she was a side side character. How could an esteemed family''s prized daughter be reduced to this?


    [Host, Zhou Yuan is still outside. He is visibly upset, but his shock made him incapable of moving.]


    The tall man''s mouth was gaping in shock as he tried to recall the woman''s normal responses. He had met this particular heiress a few times, and she usually looked at him with admiration. What happened today?


    The actual answer was right there, but he once again failed to see where he was wrong because of his love blindness.


    The storyline was so strong, the leads'' attraction was unbeatable.


    ''Perfect. Acting like this turns out to be not so bad, ah. It''s like a casual game.'' Xu Jiaqi said. Inside her mind, she was holding a book that she borrowed from the System for research purposes. Its title was ''A Guide for Lovable White Lotuses''.


    So resourceful.


    Xu Jiaqi read another passage of the book before she decided that it was time to incite the man further.


    She deliberately leaned her back against the door, letting her body slip down gracefully and falling into a cradled position. She cried loudly, making sure that Zhou Yuan could hear her wails from outside the room.


    Zhou Yuan heard the entire tirade and felt conflicted. He stood there, still dumbfounded from Xu Jiaqi''s slap. He regained some sense and became furious.


    What debt did he have with the woman, that she was allowed to slap him like this?


    So poisonous, he must take revenge to regain his dignity!


    He was angered, and wanted to rush back into the room to retaliate a bit. However, before his palm could even reach the door handle, he was stunned by the heart-wrenching sounds of Xu Jiaqi''s endless sobbing.


    Although they were separated by the wooden door, and he couldn''t see the woman''s appearance, the tragic sounds were enough to fuel one''s imagination.


    Imagining the woman''s tearful condition, applied to her dazzling looks, it created a scenario that was extremely.. pleasing to look at?


    Right, it would be quite the appetizing sight. An attractive woman like Xu Jiaqi crying because of his actions, how was he supposed to stay calm and intact?


    This was not to say that beauty ruled the world, but still, who didn''t like beauty?


    Zhou Yuan''s brain finally began to sympathize with Xu Jiaqi, the woman he wanted to confront despite the storyline''s fate that made his mind only favor Bai Mengxue unfairly.


    Zhou Yuan: Actually, this slap wasn''t that harsh. Don''t cry. There, there, do you want some candy?


    Xu Jiaqi: Uncle, mommy System said stranger danger.


    System: Since when am I your mom? Besides, you are older than Zhou Yuan!


    Unbeknownst to him, Xu Jiaqi was only making up the sounds. Her facial expression was filled with scorn as she bantered with the System about the matter of her sudden change of character into a white lotus.


    System: You said you loathed people like Xu Jiaxin. Isn''t she acting like a white lotus too?


    Xu Jiaqi: It''s different, ah. This is just acting for work, I''m not trying to ruin anybody''s life, I''m just going to cry, cry, and cry. Aren''t I pitiful? Wuwuwu.


    System: Really pitiful, so pitiful that I''ll volunteer to kick you off this world and nullify the contract.


    Xu Jiaqi: Can you do that? Contracts can be nullified as fast as it you can eat a burger?


    System: Can, I just need to self destruct. We can plunge into the void together. Isn''t that lovely?


    No words were exchanged. On one side, Xu Jiaqi cried with all her might, on the other side, Zhou Yuan stood still as his conscience bit into him. After thinking multiple times, he truly felt like he had gone too far this time. The person he came to reproach was the one and only Big Miss Xu. Offending her would be catastrophic, even if it was for the sake of Bai Mengxue.


    Normally, his sensible, logical way of thinking would be eluded by the storyline''s force. However, for this split second, he regained his logic and regretted his actions.


    He currently held Bai Mengxue at a favorable position, but that didn''t necessarily mean that he would be willing to sacrifice everything for the girl yet. He was a businessman, and he knew how important connections were. He had once gone through the bloodcurdling experience of being rejected just by not having the necessary connections, even when he had brought up his qualifications to the table.


    The current him was strong, but not enough to afford a fight with the Xu family. He worked so hard for the empire he managed to raise up today. He definitely wouldn''t agree to risk it all for Bai Mengxue''s matter, even though he felt sympathy for her.


    He pursed his lips, before knocking on the door twice. His voice was calm as he spoke. "Miss Xu, I apologize. I might''ve gotten too hot-headed. Let us have a proper discussion another time."


    Xu Jiaqi gave a sly smile, knocking back on the door.


    "Rejected, I don''t feel like talking. Come apologize to me another day, next." she said, holding back her sobs.


    "What..?" Zhou Yuan blinked a few times, stunned at her reply.


    "Leave! I want to be alone for now." Xu Jiaqi raised her volume.


    Zhou Yuan clicked his tongue. He acquiesced, thinking that the woman wouldn''t be in the best condition to accept an apology anyway.. He didn''t press onto the matter, it could be done another day.

 Chapter 8 - 1.5

    "...Gone?" Xu Jiaqi mumbled in a low voice after hearing his footsteps fade away.


    [Zhou Yuan is gone. Congratulations for overcoming your first act.]


    Xu Jiaqi stretched out her arms, patting down on her wet face and drying out the excess tears. Her eyes and throat were tired after bawling that hard.


    She sneered, mocking the man''s behavior in her heart. So willful, so immature. Luckily, she was powerful and knew to divert him away without causing any damage.


    Her eyes swept through the room''s interior. It was sizeable, but not up to what Xu family''s standards should be. There were also not much personal belongings.


    "This isn''t my house, right?" Xu Jiaqi mused.


    [Yes. You are currently in a hotel called The Ark, with a VIP room assigned to your name. A ball will be held here tonight at 7 p.m. and you are supposed to attend it.] The System reported.


    "Seven? Ao, there''s only a few hours left."


    Xu Jiaqi stood up and gathered her stuff around. She had to get ready if she wanted to present a perfect appearance.


    "Hmm.. If I stayed here as a VIP guest.. I wouldn''t be the only one staying on this floor, would I? We were so loud, did anybody hear?"


    [I can''t confirm that, Host.]


    "Some random people probably heard. There should also be CCTVs in this floor.. It''s going to be very easy to prove. That slag Zhou Yuan''s reputation is going to take a hit... Ha, he deserves it!" Xu Jiaqi smiled in triumph.


    [Wouldn''t Host''s reputation also be affected that way?]


    "That''s why this calls for another act, ah. We are going to continue the white lotus approach.. in front of the public. System, my baby, aren''t you excited?" Xu Jiaqi giggled madly and almost couldn''t control herself from slipping into a maniacal laughter.


    System: Excited, very excited. When they found out about your true personality, I''ll be one of the people who throw stones down at you.


    It seems like his Host had hit her head on the way to transmigration. Sanity level dropped by a half.


    Uncaring of the System''s thoughts, Xu Jiaqi prepared herself for the upcoming ball in high spirits. She took a bath and freshened up.


    The Xu family was very meticulous, they had prepared everything for her. She only needed to get into the outfit and step into the ballroom with grace.


    The gown was a splendid white halter dress with various subtle, yet enchanting embellishments crafted onto the quality fabric. A pair of crystal heels that sparkled as she turned it in different angles were presented in a neat box. Various beauty products and tools. Along with it, various other accessories placed in another box, containing earrings, a diamond necklace, hair clips, and others.


    The original Xu Jiaqi had always thought that makeup was suffocating, so she rarely wore a lot. She loved skincare, her skin was as supple and creamy as a newborn baby''s. Her large doe eyes were slightly curved upwards, creating a lovely charm. Her eyebrows were full even before being drawn. A dainty nose, and plump naturally red lips. She had great proportions, and the dress she wore complemented her curves well. The crystal heels added 8 centimeters to her height. She had the perfect balance between a sensual and cute charm, contrasting against each other.


    She sat down in front of the dressing table and began working her magic. Everything she needed was already in front of her. There was a large variant of new, untouched products. Truly generous, spending so much money on buying all these.


    Xu Jiaqi picked out several items and set the rest aside.


    The stylist her family had hired for her called in, but Xu Jiaqi refused the service and told her that she would be doing everything on her own. She also assured that the stylist wouldn''t be held accountable for anything, and the generous payment will be diligently sent to her bank account. Being offered that, in addition to not wanting to disobey the Big Miss Xu''s orders, the stylist quickly agreed.


    After applying careful, practiced techniques, she managed to style herself in a way that perpetuated her white lotus halo. Her hair was slightly curled into waves, dazzling diamond hair clips stabbed into the sides. Simple additional accessories pinned down. A suitable perfume scent sprayed all over. Her makeup? Of course, it communicated innocence and purity.


    "Luckily, the reddened eyes quickly dissipated with some treatment. If not, I will personally come to Zhou Yuan and beat him up." Xu Jiaqi applied the last bit of her styling and was satisfied with the result.


    This type of beauty and style, once she went down to the ball and stood below the chandelier, there would be no woman that is brave enough to challenge her looks.


    Xu Jiaqi: As expected, there is nothing that I can''t do.


    "Let''s go, System." Xu Jiaqi stood up, admiring her reflection in the mirror one last time before picking up her matching clutch and leaving her room.


    She walked into the elevator with confidence, descending to the lowest floor and stepping into the ball room with a gentle smile on her face.


    Light shone onto her figure and exposed her ethereal looks.


    Everyone''s attention gathered onto Xu Jiaqi''s imposing presence. They recognized the woman as the famous protected pearl of the Xu family, the sheltered princess that was hard to see. Their eyes scanned the woman, wanting to identify the depths of her ability and whether she was worth her fame or not.


    From the first glance, they already felt entranced by her beauty, unable to take their eyes off the woman. However, the people who gathered her tonight weren''t as simple as that, beauty wasn''t enough to prove one''s qualifications. Everyone was of high status, and practically knew each other and their mothers.


    Only, this Big Miss Xu was a bit peculiar.. Normally, she would politely refuse to attend parties, but this one ball was graced with her presence.

 Chapter 9 - 1.6

    Despite being a big miss, Xu Jiaqi was not that sociable with the elite society. Her thoughts on these gatherings were similar to that of a terrible auction, where everybody was a product to be judged and evaluated by each other.


    Kind words would be spoken on the outside, but they would contain a double meaning, a sharp edge to strike with. Negative news would be fervently discussed and brought up.


    In particular, the ''hot news'' today seemed to involve herself, the Big Miss Xu.


    They had heard of the news. That day, Xu Jiaqi was staying at her room, and the young man Zhou Yuan''s room was on the same floor as hers, which was how he got the opportunity to approach her in the first place. Ambiguous things elapsed, but the main points were Xu Jiaqi''s wails and Zhou Yuan''s angered shouting. They weren''t the only people who stayed in the entire building, and news like this could spread like wildfire very easily. Especially when there was security footage being distributed around.


    After Xu Jiaqi settled down, a couple people walked over to her and greeted her. Of course, their purpose wasn''t only to serve formality. They wanted to dig into her matters and find out more details about the scandalous incident.


    Like packs of crafty foxes and hyenas, they stood in front of the calm Xu Jiaqi.


    "Miss Xu, it''s such an honor to meet you today! You usually refuse to go to our balls, and when you finally decide to come, your impact is enough to topple several nations!" A man raised up his glass of wine, gesturing for Xu Jiaqi to toast with him.


    Xu Jiaqi respectfully accepted, clinking their glasses and sipping the liquid.


    "Surely you jest. I didn''t mean to refuse everybody''s invites, it''s just that I am not that great with crowds.. Besides, my parents wouldn''t like me going out to party too much. They have always said that going out will risk my heart being stolen by a rotten man." Xu Jiaqi charmingly looked up to the other party''s eyes, making him blush at the frank stare.


    Laughter erupted, creating a merry atmosphere.


    "Miss Xu likes to joke. Come to think of it, why did you attend today? Is there any special occasion?" A young woman tried to pry in.


    "I just came out to get some fresh experience, am I not welcome?"


    "Of course you are welcome!"


    In discussions like this, their main purpose wouldn''t be revealed in a straightforward manner. All of them were experienced, and they knew to be careful with their words.


    Only after they exchanged many conversations did the topic start to shift towards the scandal.


    "Right, Miss Xu, we heard that.. some things happened in your floor. Are you alright? It seemed very serious."


    Xu Jiaqi internally smirked. The question she had been waiting for came. Her acting skills were put to the table as she started to play her character.


    "Ah.. about that, I am also not sure. I don''t know.. how I even got to anger his person for him to come and scold me," Xu Jiaqi answered with a gloomy smile. "Even my parents haven''t berated me like that. Truly a shame, ah. I thought that the Zhou head would be a sensible person."


    Upon hearing her words, their ears instantly perked up at the words ''Zhou head''.


    "So that Zhou company''s head really went up to you and started scolding?"


    "Yes, ah. It really was Zhou Yuan. I am not deeply connected with him, perhaps you all might know something that made him do this? If you do, then please tell me." Xu Jiaqi let out a gentle sigh, her eyelashes fluttering as she lowered her gaze.


    Those around her instantly felt heaps of pity and criticized Zhou Yuan inside their hearts.


    The Big Miss Xu was a refined lady from birth, whereas Zhou Yuan was just somebody who is starting to climb up the social ranks. It was already a great luck for him to talk with Xu Jiaqi, from where did he get the courage to shout at her?


    A difference in their upbringing, ah. No one was there to teach Zhou Yuan about high society etiquette and manners, no wonder his attitude was still the same as a normal people.


    After getting their confirmation, the crowd started to disperse and go around to socialize with the others. Soon, Xu Jiaqi was left alone, sitting with a triangular cheesecake and red wine.


    She took out her mobile phone, thinking to take a picture of the delicacy and post it to her Weibo. Xu Jiaqi opened her camera application and accidentally had it set up to the front camera.


    Her face was still pretty as ever, but there was a towering figure who loomed like a ghost behind her. Her heart jumped, almost losing the grip on her phone.


    It gave her a small heart attack, damn it.


    Xu Jiaqi held back the mouthful of curses she was prepared to spit out and carefully turned around, giving the dark faced man a sweet smile.


    "...You are?" Xu Jiaqi asked.


    The man paused for a couple seconds before answering. "Qin Zicheng."


    ''The second male lead, Qin Zicheng?''


    [Yes, Host.] The System confirmed his identity.


    "Ah, it turns out to be the Qin heir. I am Xu Jiaqi." She stretched out her hand to offer up a handshake, which was casually accepted by the man.


    The moment Qin Zicheng took her hand into his own, he felt a small spark inside his heart. Xu Jiaqi''s hands were slender, her skin flawless and soft. The short contact already made him not want to release his grip.


    "Mister Qin?" Xu Jiaqi tilted her head in confusion, shaking her hand to try and break free from his hold.


    The man didn''t budge, nor did he show a speck of expression.


    "Do you like bunnies?" The man''s question was so random and sudden that Xu Jiaqi could only blink puzzledly.

 Chapter 10 - 1.7

    "Bunnies.. huh? I think bunnies are cute. What about you, Mister?" Xu Jiaqi answered after some consideration.


    Qin Zicheng was described as a cold and unfeeling man who rarely started up a conversation, and refused to talk about insignificant matters. Is asking about bunnies important?


    There were now two anomalies that she spotted deviating from the original storyline, Xu Jiaqi was starting to doubt its authenticity.


    [Be assured, Host. The storyline is really what this world will turn out to be if we didn''t come here and interfere.]


    ''I''ve only been here for less than a day, does that impact the story?''


    [The effect shouldn''t be that spontaneous.]


    Xu Jiaqi: Then why is this gloomy man staring at her nonstop? Big brother policeman, come and save!


    In other ways, Qin Zicheng was truly like the rumors. He spoke little words, and took so long to answer her question. She wanted to run away. Not long after, his answer finally arrived.


    "I don''t like bunnies. They are very sensitive, die easily and need a lot of care. Very troublesome." Qin Zicheng scoffed with a displeased expression.


    ''Then why did you ask?!'' She complained at the man''s strange actions in her mind, not daring to do it in reality.


    Xu Jiaqi''s lips parted, but no words came out of her mouth.


    "..Come and sit down with me, I can''t let you stand up like that while I sit comfortably. Do you have anything you wanted to ask from me?" Xu Jiaqi decided to pull out the chair beside her and gestured for him to take the seat.


    Qin Zicheng did as she said, but even after settling down, he didn''t say anything else.


    Xu Jiaqi: Help, anybody, come help, I can pay good money. Whose child is this, come pick him up!


    "Mister Qin, have I offended you before?" Xu Jiaqi''s facial muscles twitched.


    "No." Qin Zicheng replied in an instant. He felt confused, how come this young miss thought that he was offended by her? Was it something he said? He recalled the short phrases he had uttered to Xu Jiaqi and figured out the cause.


    He had asked if she liked bunnies, and upon receiving a positive answer from her, he actually went ahead and dissed the cute little animal. Being in Xu Jiaqi''s position, it was very easy to think that he purposely asked the question as an attack.


    It wasn''t actually meant as a harmful question, he just thought that she looked similar to a white bunny he used to take care of when he was still a child. In particular, their large doe eyes bore a striking resemblance. That same bunny died in just three months after being gifted to him despite him taking very good care of it. From that point on, he had always thought that bunnies were very troublesome.


    The young miss in front of him seemed to have misunderstood his words.


    Thus, he hurriedly scrambled around the brilliant ideas inside his head, wanting to clear the matter up before it was too late.


    "You''re like a bunny. So frail, a stray punch could take you out. Eating freely also can''t be done, so many things can cause poisoning and end up in death. The living conditions, temperature, hygiene, mental and physical health, even though you put in a lot of effort, they can still pass away very easily." Qin Zicheng stated his experience. He had studied a lot about bunnies because he wanted to be a responsible owner, but he still ended up losing the creature.


    Seeing Xu Jiaqi triggered memories of the dead pet, so he came to observe her from a closer distance. He had no enmity with her.


    "..." Xu Jiaqi was speechless.


    Wasn''t this nudging on her ''sheltered princess'' history, having everything taken care of by her family servants down to the smallest details? Her food, clothes, housing, was this man using a pet bunny''s life as an analogy for her? Is she a pet bunny to her parents?


    When on Earth did the original Xu Jiaqi offend the man? Wasn''t he supposed to be an enigmatic man who didn''t bother to partake into petty matters?


    Then, it clicked inside her head. She wasn''t just a simple woman, she carried the weight of the Xu family with her. Perhaps her parents had offended the man in their affairs?


    "This.. Mister Qin, I will have to apologize if any of my parents- no, if any of Xu family''s members wronged you. If I could help in any sort of way, then please tell me." Xu Jiaqi bowed her head, apologizing sincerely and showing a meek expression.


    Xu Jiaqi: Hehe, I''m so pitiful, can you still bear to hold a grudge against me?


    Qin Zicheng frowned. "..You have the wrong idea. I just thought that you resembled a bunny I used to raise. I don''t dislike you or your parents."


    He didn''t know why, but he became slightly anxious after seeing Xu Jiaqi''s dispirited expression. He thought that he absolutely couldn''t let her get the wrong idea.


    Xu Jiaqi: Oh.


    "Is that so? Then, that''s a relief. Where is the bunny now?" Xu Jiaqi beamed with happiness as she inquired.


    "Dead."


    ...


    Short and simple. She shouldn''t have asked.


    It was very hard to talk with this man.


    Qin Zicheng didn''t leave even after that exchange, so Xu Jiaqi had no other choice but to occasionally speak with him. With every words she said, she sweated bullets.


    This Qin Zicheng wasn''t just a normal heir. His Qin family members'' wings didn''t only lie in the business world, some also gained recognition in the military area, medicine, entertainment, and various others.


    As the heir of this big entity, offending Qin Zicheng was the same as courting your death.


    It was very scary to talk to this man. If she said something wrong, who knows what will happen to her? Silently killed?


    The domineering man always replied to Xu Jiaqi''s words.. He was gullible to the woman''s anxiety, and even felt that chatting with Xu Jiaqi was somewhat pleasing.

 Chapter 11 - 1.8

    Luckily, a bell ringing sound soon came to save Xu Jiaqi''s sanity. It marked the start of the party''s main event, which consisted of several exciting shows boasting popular entertainment figures as the hosts.


    Although the party was disguised as a sophisticated ball, it was actually nothing more than just a modern gathering. Everyone was in their formal getups, wearing gorgeous dresses and suits. And yet, the contents of the party leaned more towards the wild side.


    The speakers blasted loud music, and the people started to gather around the empty space to dance. Attendees could freely mix with each other and have their fun, showing their party tricks and mingling with the crowds. Everyone was young and filled to the brim with vitality, the jovial scene could go for hours without rest.


    Being under the influence of alcohol, parties like this could even incite relationships between the many influential youths.


    Everyone was here to have a good time, and Xu Jiaqi also had similar purposes. She came here to adopt a man to fulfill her mission.


    She came to find someone to love her!


    In this vast sea of highly qualified young masters and misses, wouldn''t there be someone she could reel in?


    The original Xu Jiaqi actually ran away from this party even after telling her parents that she would be attending. She stayed in her room until the party passed.


    But she obviously wasn''t going to do that.


    Xu Jiaqi looked at Qin Zicheng, who never took his eyes off of her. Their eyes met and Xu Jiaqi shuddered out of fear.


    Xu Jiaqi: Old mister, can you not?


    Some might say that Qin Zicheng''s stares are romantic, and that this is a novel worthy scene, but when you are the person receiving these uncomfortable stares, it was not great!


    "Mister Qin, I''m about to go down to the dance hall, are you fine with me leaving?"


    When asked a question like this, what should your natural response be? Obviously, you couldn''t say no, right?


    Wrong. Qin Zicheng''s mind worked differently from normal people.


    "Not fine," he said.


    Xu Jiaqi suppressed the frustration inside her heart as she faced Qin Zicheng, who had a serious expression plastered on his face.


    "Mister Qin.. I have to go," Xu Jiaqi pouted, making a wronged face.


    "Let me accompany you, we can walk down together."


    That way, she still wouldn''t leave his side, but could do what she desired.


    After thinking about it, Xu Jiaqi decided to acquiesce since the man was known to be as stubborn as a rock.


    "Forget it, getting to know Mister Qin is my blessing, let us go down ba."


    "You like getting to know me?"


    "Mister Qin doesn''t go up to just anyone, right? Those who know you personally are little in numbers, how could it not be a fortunate thing?" Xu Jiaqi answered.


    Qin Zicheng''s lips subtly curled up into a smile, increasing his handsomeness even more.


    "Then, do we know each other now?" he asked.


    "..It seems so. Or did I think wrongly?"


    "No, but.." Qin Zicheng coughed. "If we are well acquainted, can we drop the formalities? Stop calling me Mister,"


    The title had bothered him. They were around the same age, but Xu Jiaqi used that title and created a distant feel.


    However, Xu Jiaqi was troubled.


    Well acquainted? They just met, but they could already be classified as that?


    Furthermore, what to call him if not Mister?


    "Then what should I call you..? Zicheng ge?" Xu Jiaqi carefully called, imploring Qin Zicheng''s reaction.


    "En, Qiqi."


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyes trembled when she heard the nickname, not expecting the man to be so steadfast in this change.


    Qin Zicheng gently smiled, grabbing Xu Jiaqi''s hands and supported her as they stood up.


    He led her to the dance hall without saying anything.


    His face was overflowing with warmth, breaking the character he was supposed to possess in the storyline.


    The man who was known to be as cold as an iceberg actually smiled to her multiple times, and talked quite a lot. He didn''t like it when she called him with a distant nickname. He also wanted to follow her.


    She thought that Qin Zicheng would surely leave her anytime soon, but the man actually kept following her like a baby chick. Whenever she went, the tall man would always trail behind her footsteps.


    Whenever she went to strike a conversation with people, the man would always tower behind her back with a frightening expression, causing the ones she approached to awkwardly leave in fear.


    She grumbled in distress as another young master made up excuses for him to leave.


    However, when she turned around and looked at Qin Zicheng, the man wore an innocent expression, as if he didn''t know what happened.


    Xu Jiaqi was starting to suspect that the man liked her even with her dense head in the romance department.


    ''System, does the second male lead secretly like Xu Jiaqi? It couldn''t be, because the original body didn''t go to this party, he didn''t meet Xu Jiaqi and it resulted in them never crossing paths? Is there a secret backstory between them?'' Xu Jiaqi questioned the System.


    [Rather than the a secret backstory, isn''t it just you, Host?]


    ''Me? What about me?''


    [Think about it. The original body was shy and reserved, she also wouldn''t keep up a conversation with Qin Zicheng for this long. You altered your appearance to your white lotus aesthetic, which made him recall his deceased pet. I''d say that the current you attracted him and not because of a backhanded plot.] The System analyzed.


    ''..That might be the case, but how can he be attracted in such a short time? There''s no logic, ah.''


    [Characters originally have to fall in love in a short time because of the plotline force. Although us entering this world could trigger changes and humanize the interactions, it will still be more unreasonable than the hard reality. Furthermore, Host has an exceptional status, is beautiful and smart, don''t you think he can be attracted?]


    ''I know that I''m very attractive, but he''s the second male lead, right? Won''t the plot collapse if he''s not by the female lead''s side?''


    Xu Jiaqi was worried for her mission.. The System told her that this first world is akin to a tutorial. If she were to fail this, wouldn''t she be terribly embarrassed?

 Chapter 12 - 1.9

    [Don''t worry, Host. Our System is not a fussy one, even though you can''t kill the leads, if they get in trouble because of external forces then it wouldn''t be charged on you. You just have to stay close to your character descriptions,  everything else will be pardoned.]


    ''...That''s strangely convenient for me.''


    [We aspire to take care of our employees. Or would you like to be worked to death? Spartan style? I can activate the sudden death mode where you''ll have no freedom, have no choice but to follow the exact path Xu Jiaqi took.]


    ''No, no, no. Thank you for taking care of this humble employee. Hehe.'' Xu Jiaqi quickly retracted her words and focused on the reality.


    It hadn''t even been a complete day since she got here, but she was already feeling pretty comfortable. Especially when the character''s background was pretty similar to her, who was a young miss since birth.


    As she chatted more and more with Qin Zicheng, the next event flag came to life.


    The door to the hall was opened wide, with two servants revealing two new attendees.


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyes narrowed. It was the male lead, Zhou Yuan.


    Zhou Yuan arrived with a grand entrance, with his hands interlocked with Bai Mengxue. Eyes immediately flew towards the couple. Those who learned of the scandal also swept through Xu Jiaqi to observe her reaction.


    To be involved in such a story was regarded as humiliating by the people. Especially to a big miss like Xu Jiaqi, everyone was interested to see how she would handle the matter now that the man had done such a daring thing to her.


    As of the current moment, although Zhou Yuan was a rising star that could potentially grow his base to extreme heights, he still couldn''t contend against Xu family''s massive strength.


    If Xu Jiaqi willed for it, Zhou Yuan''s future could be diminished by a great length, leaving no chances for him to strive as far as before.


    To their dismay, Xu Jiaqi only carelessly looked at Zhou Yuan, lingering on his figure before passing her attention back to Qin Zicheng.


    ''If I could, I would stomp him down right now to secure my own future, but the original body wouldn''t do that!'' Feeling everyone''s disappointed gaze, Xu Jiaqi complained inside her heart.


    "Zicheng ge, isn''t the Zhou head your friend? You don''t want to come over and say hello to him?" Xu Jiaqi asked the man beside her.


    Qin Zicheng already felt comfortable sitting by the table and chatting from time to time with her, he was actually unwilling to approach Zhou Yuan. In the first place, he was forcefully sent here by his mother. She wanted him to go and embark on a love journey, but the old lady had never seen Qin Zicheng interact with another woman outside of business and formal proprieties, let alone be in love.


    The party was filled with thriving young beauties, the old lady refused to believe that none of them could catch Qin Zicheng''s eyes. She was confident in her son''s qualifications, and was sure that the beauties would be attracted.


    However, the old lady failed to account for one thing: Qin Zicheng''s difficult personality!


    With his attitude, who would dare approach him?


    Even if there were some daring ladies who wanted to try their luck at the massive fortune, Qin Zicheng himself would repel those folks.


    Xu Jiaqi: Hehe, I also don''t want to be approached. Where is the big brother policeman I called?


    With everything considered, Qin Zicheng decided that staying with Xu Jiaqi was better.


    "Don''t want to." He answered.


    "..Then let us continue.. drinking." Xu Jiaqi''s slender hand picked up her wine glass and sipped from it. She had a strong alcohol tolerance. This was her third pour. The wine had quite a high concentration, but it didn''t affect either her or Qin Zicheng.


    Now that the two leads arrived, her tension increased. She loathed losing, so she was very serious towards the mission.


    The incident that happened earlier was unaccounted for. She had thought about the possible conclusions about this matter. In the short story provided to her, Xu Jiaqi stayed as an outsider, creating a barrier between her and Zhou Yuan.


    She also did not bother Bai Mengxue even after Zhou Yuan displayed clear signs of affection for the woman. And yet, Zhou Yuan came to berate her, stating her wickedness as the reason. Bai Mengxue''s name was mentioned, making her suspicious of this girl''s true character.


    Bai Mengxue may not be as simple as she thought. The girl viewed as pure and lively by everyone, is still a girl in heart.


    If there is something to note down about Zhou Yuan and Bai Mengxue''s relationship, it would be that they didn''t even enter a formal linkage even after ambiguously interacting for a long time in the story.


    Zhou Yuan was quite dumb, and held a natural distrust to people due to his relatively harsh childhood. He didn''t confess to Bai Mengxue up until the poor girl saved his life from a car accident, which she luckily ended up with only minor injuries for.


    In this period of uncertainty, Bai Mengxue''s status towards Zhou Yuan was something that could be overturned any moment now.


    Naturally, if Bai Mengxue found out about a person like Xu Jiaqi, who was better than her in all aspects.. all hell would break loose.


    The negative thoughts she was burdened with would spiral out of control, creating a perpetual growth of self doubt and blame towards Zhou Yuan.


    Because Xu Jiaqi could threaten her. Threaten her status as Zhou Yuan''s partner.


    Pertaining Xu Jiaqi''s showcase of love, the woman never voiced out her feelings to the actual person, but she routinely helped Zhou Yuan out during his moments of distress and did not hesitate giving him resources others would fight for.


    Even a blind person could tell that this big miss had some special feelings. What prevented Bai Mengxue from finding out about Xu Jiaqi''s acts, when she was so famous and renowned?


    Then, considering those facts, what are the chances of her being a secret instigator behind the man''s back? Quite high.


    A woman''s jealousy was scary. It was very easy to evoke negative emotions, much more easier than positive ones. Even though Bai Mengxue was a female lead, she was still a human.


    ''I might be thinking too far. System, note down the things I just thought about.'' Xu Jiaqi decided that she would let things progress naturally first before taking a stance.


    [Understood, Host.]


    The System diligently did his job up until another flag was raised.


    [Host, the two leads are looking at you. Bai Mengxue has whispered some things to the Zhou Yuan, and his expression is now warped. The System detected anger.. Please proceed with caution.]

 Chapter 13 - 1.10

    ''They''re approaching? And by the sound of your lines.. This cute little Bai Mengxue did something again, did she?'' Xu Jiaqi''s eyes narrowed as her grip tightened around the wine glass.


    She disliked people like Bai Mengxue. Really irritating, ah. Why can''t everyone be civil and fight using truthful means? Inciting disharmony using these petty ways, what a frustrating act.


    The System realized something wrong with Xu Jiaqi''s words.


    [Host, don''t forget about the companies you destroyed, is that what you call being civil? Hundreds, Host. Hundreds of businesses.] He reminded.


    ''Shhh. You are my System, you should blindly follow me.'' she responded.


    ''Or else, you won''t get any bonuses from me when I succeed.''


    [Yes, Supreme Dictator Host!] The System quickly shut up. Bonuses! Host is generous, Host is the best. May Host prosper eternally!


    By the time they finished chatting, Zhou Yuan and Bai Mengxue was already right in front of them. Bai Mengxue had a worried expression as she tugged on Zhou Yuan''s sleeves and told him that ''it wasn''t anything serious'', ''don''t fight because of me'', and ''stop'', but her persuasion were very little and seemed deliberate.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Yuan was practically already fuming with anger.


    "Xu. Jia. Qi!" Zhou Yuan gritted his teeth as he spat out her name.


    "Ao, Zhou head, don''t tell me you are going to accuse me again? Think twice. Previously, I thought that since you were young, you might''ve been deluded, but the second time.. I won''t let it slide without repercussions." Xu Jiaqi coldly looked at Zhou Yuan, acting tired and burdened as if the man had disappointed her for a lifetime''s worth.


    The people around began to chatter when Zhou Yuan purposely came to court death after Xu Jiaqi''s indifferent response to his arrival. Not being removed from the party right away was already a blessing for him, what more chaos did he want to cause?


    They were all very experienced with matters of jerks and knew how powerful a woman''s influence was. There were so many victims to this effect, which caused a lot of losses and negative impacts. This Zhou head''s ratings were gradually dropping for the attendees as they observed how willful and arrogant he was despite only being an upstart.


    "I am not here to accuse you wrongfully. I brought your victim here! Apologize to Mengxue for everything you did right now! This afternoon, you even slapped me and cried out loud even though you knew that you were in the wrong. Now, you can''t escape!" Zhou Yuan stated.


    He was very smug. He thought that revealing this piece of information would definitely make Xu Jiaqi''s worth decrease in the eyes of others. He also planned to use the public to trap Xu Jiaqi.


    Little did he know, the high society knew better than to judge someone like Xu Jiaqi, especially when the deeds she committed were not that severe and was acceptable considering how Zhou Yuan was acting. Xu Jiaqi was unparalleled in terms of status and prestige, who would dare fault her just because of a slap? The crying thing, everyone cries, a baby cries, your mom cries, why should it be wrong for a young woman like Xu Jiaqi to cry because of Zhou Yuan''s attack?


    Internally, Xu Jiaqi laughed at this stupid pair of humans who didn''t even understand the unwritten laws of high society, yet still tried to challenge it. Why are severe scandals not revealed to the public, and even if there were clear evidences, they wouldn''t be charged?


    Simple! The world was all about power, money, and fame. What are laws? Let them be broken.


    "Is that so? Miss Bai, was it fun twisting the truth and making fun of me in front of the Zhou head? I don''t know what kind of lies you spouted.. But your assets must be very prominent, ah. To ensnare the Zhou head until he became this deluded, what a rare talent." Xu Jiaqi mocked.


    "What.. what are you talking about?" Bai Mengxue cowered behind Zhou Yuan''s back, gripping the fabric of his clothes tightly.


    "..As fellow people who delves in business, I expected the Zhou head to be mature, especially after the success you gained," Xu Jiaqi ignored Bai Mengxue''s pleas and looked into Zhou Yuan''s eyes with mirth.


    "Zhou head, I used to see you in a favorable light because I thought you had potential, but it turns out that you are just as brainless as those useless young masters over there. Scram!" Qin Zicheng finally spoke out, shielding Xu Jiaqi behind him as he added his opinion to the case.


    The young masters who were dissed out of nowhere: ...Seeking justice, we were bombed without reason.


    "Zicheng ge.. This.. You have to be impartial, ah. Justice has to be brought..." Bai Mengxue''s eyes watered as she spoke.


    ''So this kid is also a white lotus? Damn, I am clearly trying to be the white lotus, who are you to covet my role?!'' Xu Jiaqi complained.


    "Who are you to call me Zicheng ge? I allowed Qiqi to call me that, but it doesn''t mean that you can." Qin Zicheng glared, making Bai Mengxue whimper even more.


    Xu Jiaqi stood up from her seat and smiled charmingly towards Bai Mengxue. Qin Zicheng immediately gripped her wrist with a concerned face, but Xu Jiaqi sent him an assuring look. The man released his grip, but his heart filled with worry as he watched her approach Bai Mengxue, the woman he labeled as a ''strange psycho''.


    Xu Jiaqi was taller than the girl, especially since she wore high heels. She lowered her head slightly and begin to speak.


    "Miss Bai, was it? Please do not embarrass yourself any further. I don''t know what kind of soap opera you watched, but do you think that I would personally harm you? If I wanted to attack you, it would be done by someone I hired anonymously. People like me.. don''t engage in catfights, darling. Also, physical attacks are really not my cup of tea.. There are many ways to destroy someone''s life that will make them end up in a much more miserable state than physical wounds."

 Chapter 14 - 1.11

    "Since you have provoked me, then watch your back from this day onwards, you never know when the person I hired will come and sabotage you." Xu Jiaqi sneered as she whispered lowly beside Bai Mengxue''s ear.


    The woman''s face changed colors as she looked at Xu Jiaqi with dread, pushing her away with maximum strength.


    Xu Jiaqi let herself stagger backwards, planning to fall down to the floor and ruin the woman further.


    There can''t be two white lotuses in the same area. This woman was trying to forge up a scheme. Fine! She will retaliate using similar ways, but doing it better.


    Xu Jiaqi: You want to accuse me of causing harm to you? Dream on. I should be in jail a hundred years ago but I''m still here, happy and healthy.


    System: Host, you''re dead, is that healthy? Also, it''s really heartwarming seeing you finally admit to your crimes. I''m proud.


    Xu Jiaqi: Oh, so you don''t want your bonus anymore?


    System: I will shut up right now.


    The world bows down to influence.


    Before Xu Jiaqi could land on the cold, hard ground, a pair of large hands caught her body and embraced her gently.


    "Qiqi, are you alright?"


    Xu Jiaqi was taken aback as she looked at the taller man. "Zicheng ge.. Yes, I am fine. My apologies for the inconvenience." With his help, Xu Jiaqi balanced herself and stood back up straight.


    Xu Jiaqi: Damn, this man really can''t bear to see my plans work. Just let me fall!


    It was nice to know that this man would save her in times like this, but his action destroyed her agenda of plotting against Bai Mengxue.


    ''Forget it, it should still work.''


    Qin Zicheng''s hands stayed on Xu Jiaqi even after she was already balanced. She wanted to say something, but the man looked at her as if saying that this situation should be handled by him.


    Intrigued as to what the man would do, Xu Jiaqi conceded.


    "It''s good that you''re fine. Otherwise.. I would''ve taken the initiative to teach a person without manners some lessons." Qin Zicheng glared at Bai Mengxue, who from his point of view clearly pushed Xu Jiaqi to the point of falling.


    "I-it wasn''t me! I just felt uncomfortable, so I wanted her to back away! I pushed her lightly, there''s no way.. that she fell because of my push." Bai Mengxue defended herself. "Zicheng ge.. this matter really is not my intention. I didn''t want Miss.. Xu to fall down,"


    "Mengxue.. don''t say anything more than this." Zhou Yuan had a troubled expression. The situation was getting out of hand. There was the Xu heiress and the Qin heir on the other side, whereas he was just starting out, and Bai Mengxue was nothing but a normal woman.


    "I told you not to call me ge, we don''t have a close relationship. Besides, intentional or not, does it matter? If I unintentionally step over your parents'' dead body, would you not have grudges?" Qin Zicheng asked.


    "That''s too much!" she protested.


    "It''s just a hypothetical situation, why are you panicking so much? What, you can''t answer?"


    Qin Zicheng''s expression made it seem like he was going to do exactly what the threat contained.


    Bai Mengxue bit her lips and collected her emotions up before answering.


    "I.. I wouldn''t. Because it''s not done out of harmful intent." Bai Mengxue stayed true to her character and replied, her eyes brimming with justice.


    "Is that so? Noah, come out." Qin Zicheng sneered, his words filled with scorn as he called ''Noah''.


    Noah was his personal assistant. Being a high ranked servant of the Qin family, the man naturally had to possess a variety of skills throughout many ranges of expertise.


    Noah was raised in the underground business community. From little, his life was specifically designed to cater for Qin Zicheng''s needs in the future. Now, he was able to stand beside the man and serve his orders.


    One of the things he could do was spilling blood everywhere. Torturing his master''s enemies was one of his forte.


    Noah was blond, and his ice blue eyes looked apathetic as he approached Qin Zicheng and bowed politely. "Young master, what are your orders?"


    "That woman. She pushed someone I''m interested in.. knowing me and my personality, what do you think has to be done?" Qin Zicheng asked.


    Noah''s eyes flickered for a split second when he Qin Zicheng proclaim that he was interested in Xu Jiaqi. His eyes lingered on the aforementioned woman, as if rating her from top to bottom before nodding at his master.


    "Naturally, the perpetrator should be paid back in heavy amounts. The Qin family''s people can''t be wronged, no matter how small the deed is. We repay kindness with kindness, malice with malice." Noah answered.


    "She said that it was unintentional, though. How do we pay them back in that case?"


    Noah seemed to get what Qin Zicheng was trying to make him do and nodded lightly before approaching Bai Mengxue and stood in front of her. His hands went inside his suit.


    Xu Jiaqi: My God, the female lead will die just like this?


    He then drew his weapon, which was a black magnum pistol.


    "My apologies... My hands slipped. It was unintentional," Noah''s pistol was perfectly aimed towards Bai Mengxue''s heart, his finger positioned against the trigger as he slowly lowered the gun down and retracted it.


    His intent was only to scare the woman. He always had his eyes on his master even when he wasn''t called, so he knew that this woman had some schemes laying around her head.


    He hated this type of poisonous women trying to act innocent and justify themselves the most.


    "I-I''m.. I''m sorry.." Bai Mengxue started crying heavily and turned to bury herself within Zhou Yuan''s arms.


    Zhou Yuan was visibly uncomfortable since this was in a public setting, and the whole hall had their eyes on them.. He was someone who cared about face quite a lot, so he instinctively pushed away the frail woman nested in his embrace little by little.

 Chapter 15 - 1.12

    This small act was subtle, but people with sharp eyes would catch it. Not to mention, the person who experienced the treatment herself, Bai Mengxue. Her eyes widened in shock as she didn''t expect Zhou Yuan to do that.


    "Yuan.. ge?" With an uncertain, shaky voice, the woman tugged on Zhou Yuan''s sleeves, but the man in question refused to meet her gaze and turned away. "Yuan ge.. you promised to take justice for me!" she continued her approach.


    "Mengxue, there is a limit to everything. Go apologize to Miss Xu right now." Zhou Yuan was already starting to sense that the situation was bad for him and wanted to get out of this as quick as possible. Even if it meant having to make the woman he liked suffer slightly.


    "Yuan ge, you can''t do this ah. You can''t!" Tears streamed down Bai Mengxue''s face as she shook her head. It was a very pitiable appearance, but this was reality and not fiction. "You promised to me. You promised to me, right?"


    "..I will make it up to you later." Zhou Yuan was resolute. He was already under the painful and piercing stares of the attendees and wanted to hide himself out of the public eyes. "Mengxue, don''t be unreasonable,"


    After all, their bond won''t be broken. It''s just that he needed to protect his career. His heart jumped when he saw Qin Zicheng willing to do extensive approaches just to protect Xu Jiaqi, and he learned that it wasn''t possible to press on this matter anymore.


    The reason he came forward to confront Xu Jiaqi in the first place was Bai Mengxue. If not for her request, then he wouldn''t have been involved in this public incident. Slowly, seeds of frustration appeared inside Zhou Yuan''s heart, aligned towards Bai Mengxue. His perception towards the sweet young woman degraded by the slightest bit.


    Typically, characters of a set storyline, especially in novels, were very rigid. Everything seemed to work favoring them, even to unbelievable heights. However, upon dropping Xu Jiaqi and causing ripples in this fate, naturally things would change.


    The first effect: Zhou Yuan''s sensibility meter rising up in numbers. He became able to think straight after receiving provocation from Xu Jiaqi and being taught how things worked outside of their rose tinted parameters.


    Xu Jiaqi looked at the scene with interest. She already knew that the tutorial world was supposed to be easier, but did not expect the difficulty to be this low. Just some simple moves and their bond was shaken.


    Bai Mengxue ended up having to apologize, even though she felt wronged. The couple soon left after the drama ended, and the party''s attendees also dissolved to cater to their own matters.


    Qin Zicheng and Xu Jiaqi stayed in place, going back to sit down and chat.


    "Qiqi, did you not like my ways just now?" Qin Zicheng''s hand clasped Xu Jiaqi''s as he looked at her with almost a pleading gaze. If Noah was still here, it would be much more than just a shock for him to discover how the young master was currently acting.


    Who didn''t know Qin Zicheng within the high society? The talented, masterful heir of the Qin family that had already gained control over the array of blocks he touched within the large family''s resources.


    Previously, Xu Jiaqi didn''t jerk away even after he made physical moves, so he was very ecstatic about it and thought that the woman accepted him. He became even bolder with his approach, so he held her waist back then. The woman didn''t back away.


    Thus, Qin Zicheng''s current perception on their budding relationship was quite great. He had to look for a suitable partner to present to his family anyway, and Xu Jiaqi was attracting him quite a lot. It wouldn''t be bad to align himself with her further.


    "No.. I am very satisfied. Thank you, Zicheng ge." Xu Jiaqi replied, chuckling lowly as she leaned forwards to draw her own approach towards Qin Zicheng. "That was very kind of you."


    [Host, the original soul is supposed to hold affection for Zhou Yuan. Her love was so great. If she suddenly diverts this early.. won''t it be a penalty worthy act?] The System interjected, watching his Host display her charms towards this unsuspecting man.


    ''Ao, let me just fix it for you. Wait a moment.. let''s see. After being approached by the uncouth man like that, Xu Jiaqi began to question her true emotions and whether or not the man she liked was truly worthy of her. When she went down to the party, she came across a splendid young man who presented her with great character and treated her well. A stark comparison was made between the two male candidates, and Xu Jiaqi''s heart was starting to shake after she saw Zhou Yuan, the slag she used to love treat her unfairly and dote on Bai Mengxue unconditionally. Perhaps, her true fate wasn''t Zhou Yuan, and she needed to open her eyes and heart towards others?''  Xu Jiaqi narrated. She even used a suitable tone and intonation for the important words.


    [..Very detailed, thank you very much.]


    ''Satisfied?''


    [Yes, yes. Go back to your acting, I will tweak some things and send the impromptu.. plot you gave as my report later. Do whatever you want as long as the mission gets completed, you probably need Qin Zicheng as your target later on anyway, right?]


    ''I did plan to do so.. but I don''t know if I can handle this man with my current body.. Haah, this body is so thin and frail. Qin Zicheng was right, I''m just like a bunny that can be hurt very easily~ But what if Qin Zicheng, this ferocious wolf,  wants to eat me? Can''t handle, can''t handle!'' Xu Jiaqi complained.


    [..Can''t handle what?] The System anxiously asked.


    They had been in this world for less than a day, could it be that the Host was already starting to form indecent thoughts? No, no, no, that shouldn''t be right. Considering Host''s intake on the world, it should be that she is laying blocks to pave the way for her perfect lifestyle.


    Sex- No, copulating was a natural thing. It was natural. Natural. It''s natural, right?!


    System: Help, I don''t know how to consult my Host about body mashing interactions.

 Chapter 16 - 1.13

    ''What are you thinking about? Indecent stuff? Ha, that kind of thing won''t even make me flustered! I''m talking about his powers, ah. What if he hinders my plans, what if I angered him and he comes to take revenge on me? I''m so dead.'' Xu Jiaqi was not saying this without basis.


    Qin Zicheng turned out to be much more frightening, especially with his bravery and daring actions. He knew no laws and could freely act as he want. If he turned out to be her ally, then so be it. But if he wasn''t certainly on her side, this kind of person was best to be avoided. The mission didn''t require her to grab a powerful man, so she could honestly settle down with an average good man. Although getting together with him sounded fun, it held too much risks.


    High risk, high return. It could be said that with her current situation, getting this second male lead on her ship was the best scenario ever. Not only will her no longer give assistance to the two leads, successfully hindering them, but she would also be benefited through her life improvements.


    "That''s great to hear." Qin Zicheng said. "Do you still want to stay here? Or do you want to go back?" he patiently asked.


    "That will have to depend on who is bringing me back home.. to my parents. Will Zicheng ge do the honours?" Xu Jiaqi asked, giving an intoxicating expression adorned with a tempting, sweet smile.


    Qin Zicheng actually felt his heart skip a beat for the first time in forever. His mood subsequently rose up further, as he thought that he really had met his match this time. "Of course, I will personally send you home."


    "Then, let us depart from this party. There is no need for me to find another partner, after all. Am I right?" Xu Jiaqi let her finger trail over Qin Zicheng''s broad chest, watching over the man''s face the entire time. "Or.. did I get the wrong interpretation?"


    "..No, you didn''t." Qin Zicheng took the opportunity to turn the woman around, covering her in a blind spot where people wouldn''t be able to see clearly. He slowly lowered his head and waited for the woman''s response, afraid that he was progressing too fast.


    He wanted to take special care of this woman he had just met. It was as if they had a spiritual connection, a bond that made him feel strange all over. He wanted to be gentle to her, he was scared that she wouldn''t like his moves.


    What was this feelings called? It sounded so similar to the ones his mother described when she painfully tutored him to find a suitable marriage partner. She called it attraction, like, love. Those were the three stages. He wondered what stage he was in right now.


    However, he was certain that his sentiment towards this little lady was more than just the one he put up towards strangers. He ought to ask his mother when he visits his family home to clarify.


    The confrontation earlier awakened some sort of protective behavior from him. He felt compelled to speak and stand up for her. Up until now, he was still shocked with himself as he didn''t even think that he had the capability to feel that way.


    Xu Jiaqi, faced with the man''s gradually increasing approach, was able to see his features close up and appreciated his looks. She decided to wing it after seconds of consideration, standing on her toes to close the remaining distance and press her lips against his own.


    Qin Zicheng''s eyes widened. The kiss she gave was so fleeting, like a butterfly landing softly on his pair of lips and leaving just like that. His desire to deepen it surged forward. The woman''s move was a further confirmation towards this shared emotions.


    "Qiqi.." With a hoarse voice, he leaned forward and started another kiss. Their lips intertwined, and mashed against each other as they grew more passionate with each bump, turning into hungry bites.


    Xu Jiaqi: Kids, please do not kiss a deceitful stranger like this on your first day of meeting. Ah, I''m too perfect, what can I say? I underestimated my charms before. How could I have doubted myself? Men, kneel.


    System: Do I have to kneel as well?


    Xu Jiaqi: Can you even be considered a man?


    System: ...Forget I asked.


    After engaging in this messy kiss for a couple seconds, their faces finally parted. Their eyes were slightly dazed.


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyes arched, her brows softening as she stole another peck from the man and lowered her stature. She gestured to the door, telling the man that playtime was over and that she wanted to leave now.


    Even though Qin Zicheng did shield their action from public viewing, their positions were ambiguous. Engaging in these sorts of actions were naturally allowed in this party because of their topic of freedom. However, the question at hand wasn''t that.


    Xu Jiaqi and Qin Zicheng. Those two names contained huge power behind them.


    This specific scene would definitely leave ripples in the society. The possible bonding of the Xu and Qin family. How terrifying was that? The people who previously eyed these two mountains of wealth would definitely start to back away.


    Rather than the previous scandal about Xu Jiaqi and Zhou Yuan, this matter would become the largest gossip in the recent times due to the fearsome reveal. They were afraid that the big miss would no longer hold the title of princess, but rather be more suitable to the nickname ''Queen''.


    Those two elegantly walked out and entered Qin Zicheng''s car, not minding the obvious stares of the jaw-dropped people they left behind.


    Qin Zicheng knew Xu Jiaqi''s home as she still lived with her parents. The Xu family''s home was almost public knowledge in the high society. Naturally, Qin Zicheng was spared from having to ask for the directions. The car sped up, travelling through the dimly lit roads.


    Night drives always contained this special aura to it. Qin Zicheng''s car roof could be opened, and the man used that feature to let in the cool breeze of air.


    "Do you like this?" Qin Zicheng asked.


    Xu Jiaqi''s hair was fluttering about, so she quickly took out a pin to clip her hair back and remove some of the troublesome tangles her intricate hairstyle had. "En, I quite like this, but my outfit is a bit unsuitable. Next time, I won''t wear these troublesome clothes when I see you, so don''t expect this much glamour every single time."


    Qin Zicheng smiled, knowing that the girl had implied that there was not only a ''next time'' for them, but much more than just one future meeting.

 Chapter 17 - 1.14

    "Qiqi, you''re pretty no matter what you look or try to do." Qin Zicheng commented.


    "I know, everybody says that." Through observation, Xu Jiaqi was able to find out that the man actually didn''t mind someone who responded to him in a joking or sarcastic manner. Although it might only be the case for her, she still felt quite liberated for having the ability to act free.


    Indeed, this frank and confident personality interested the man even more.


    Their driving session had to end after a couple minutes, as the two of them passed through the elite complex''s checking and stopped in front of Xu Jiaqi''s home. Qin Zicheng got out of the car and walked to Xu Jiaqi''s side, opening the car door and escorting her up to the entrance gates.


    "Thank you for driving me home today." Xu Jiaqi thanked the man, leaning up to give him another peck in the face.


    "You''re quite bold," Qin Zicheng snickered, pinching the tip of Xu Jiaqi''s nose.


    The person in question scrunched up her nose and filed a complaint. "Do you not like it? If you don''t, I''ll stop."


    "So far, I like everything about you. What about you? What do you think of me?" Qin Zicheng shook his head, denying Xu Jiaqi''s question.


    His mother said that when he wanted to court or pursue someone, he had to make sure that the opponent had some sort of amiable feelings towards him. If not, then it was best to drop the matter as to not let yourself suffer too much. Changing yourself for a partner was not necessarily a bad thing in specific cases, but excessively hiding and trying to present like the ''ideal'' sensation was not great.


    Also, his mother had repeatedly hammered into him that consensual agreements were necessary in order to court the other. Luckily, Xu Jiaqi seemed to have the same wants as him.


    "If I didn''t like you.. Do you think I would kiss you? That was actually my first kiss, if you didn''t know yet." Xu Jiaqi''s face started to flush as her fingers landed on Qin Zicheng''s face, and the other on his arm. She trailed patterns on his skin, making him ticklish. "The Xu family''s princess gave her first kiss to you. What will the prince do? Take responsibility?"


    System: What a con artist! Acting so bashful like this! Lord Qin, run away!


    "..That makes sense." Qin Zicheng remembered the kiss from that time and the tip of his ears reddened slightly. "..Do you think that it was too sudden? Were you uncomfortable?"


    "No, I''m perfectly comfortable with it. I initiated the kiss, after all? I''m just joking around," Xu Jiaqi cheekily responded. "I''m not that old fashioned, chastity is nothing but an insignificant concept to me. It''s just a kiss anyway, I don''t mind. However, if in the future, we do desire to get into a deeper level of relationship.. Then it would be a different story."


    Without leaving the man any chances to reply back, Xu Jiaqi already reached down to her clutch and took out a tiny remote control from it. She pressed the remote''s button and it opened the gate up.


    "En, you should go now." Xu Jiaqi giggled. "It''s getting late. Please go back home safely. I trust that you will be able to find my personal contacts on your own, right? I''ll be waiting,"


    Qin Zicheng chuckled lowly, heaving a sigh as he was someone who could find out her contacts through illegal means very easily. It was his way of doing things, and he knew that others didn''t appreciate it as much. Confidential information, trade secrets, blackmail, it was all a part of his deranged hobby. Since he was a child, he had a tendency to like collecting information, and it stayed up until this point of his life.


    He had quite the twisted childhood, but going through that also made him more resilient and immune to all sorts of inacceptable things. Xu Jiaqi knew this, but she didn''t even berate or warn him not to continue. She even encouraged his behavior. What sort of person was she?


    In the first place, he hadn''t planned to use his destructive abilities to harm Xu Jiaqi, so her warning would have gone to waste. Naturally, it wasn''t as if he trusted the woman fully yet. He was just drawn to her from the very first time his eyes landed on the woman''s figure. His natural instincts kicked in and he aligned himself with Xu Jiaqi just now.


    "Bye bye, Zicheng ge." Xu Jiaqi waved as the man involved himself with his own thoughts.


    Qin Zicheng snapped out of it, waving back quietly. He waited until Xu Jiaqi''s figure disappeared behind the gates and walked towards the large door. After seeing the door opening and closing, with muffled sounds of chattering, Qin Zicheng went back inside his car and drove away.


    Inside the house, Xu Jiaqi was greeted by one of her housekeepers. Not far away, her father was standing with a twisted expression, a frown plastered on his scary face. His name was Xu Zheng, and his conduct could almost be classified as bipolar. Xu Zheng was a strict, demonic boss for his work matters, whereas towards his own prized family, he was nothing more than a brainless doting father.


    "Princess, you are home." Xu Zheng said.


    "En, I''m home!" Xu Jiaqi answered with enthusiasm, approaching Xu Zheng after taking off her shoes and changing into house slippers brought to her by the servants. "Father, why are you standing here? Won''t you get tired?"


    Xu Zheng''s breath fumed, and his expression grew even more twisted with each additional passing second.


    "...Qiqi, my sweet princess, do you like that man?" Xu Zheng asked with a shaky voice. "The, the- that man in black, that''s Qin Zicheng, right? Qin family''s heir? My princess, does it have to be that man?! WAAAAAAAHHH!"


    Unexpectedly, Xu  Zheng began to bawl loudly, hugging his precious daughter as tight as he could possibly do.


    Xu Jiaqi: Ah, you peeped? Damn, old man, I''m sorry that I ruined your daughter''s perfect conduct, but can you not act like this? It''s very embarrassing.


    System: ....You''re embarrassing.

 Chapter 18 - 1.15

    "Father, please calm down first." Xu Jiaqi tried appeasing the man, but he just kept bawling louder. It made Xu Jiaqi''s head ache after a while of listening to the endless cries. "Father..." she called out in vain. The man didn''t even turn to look up to her face, he was buried too deep with his crying event.


    The servants who came to greet Xu Jiaqi stood there without a shred of expression. After working with the Xu family for years, they naturally learned how different this particular rich family was from the others. Loving parents, a great daughter, a massive accumulation of wealth, no huge scandals, clean lifestyle. Where could you point out a fault from them? To the others who worked in the same industry, it was rather well known that the Xu family was one of the best people to work for.


    Father Xu''s display didn''t phase the servants as they were already used to it. They didn''t lend a hand to Xu Jiaqi, because they knew that nothing would work. A matter of this scale, to Xu Zheng, was far more important than any business deal he makes.


    Xu Jiaqi: Help me! Staring there and doing nothing, you''ll lose your young miss to this strange old man at this rate!


    Unfortunately for Xu Jiaqi''s unheard pleas, this kind of matter can''t be solved except for a direct confrontation done by one particular person.


    This person was lounging on the second floor with the family''s pet Royal Pomeranian, who suddenly began to bark and growl loudly upon hearing Xu Zheng''s shrill voice. The person sighed, getting up from her seat as she carried the pet in her arms and tried to soothe the agitated creature.


    "Xu Zheng, you really can''t give me any break, can you?!" The woman gritted her teeth as she began to march her way out of the room.


    Downstairs, Xu Jiaqi was still being held by the crying Xu Zheng. Minutes had already passed, but the man didn''t seem to show any signs of stopping. Did he really have no shame? Even though the Xu family''s servants were secretive, which normal person would even dare to act this way in the first place?


    Luckily, there was someone who came to save her from this peril. It was her own mother, Li Jiayun. The woman in her forties kept her youthful appearance and walked down the spiral staircase with the utmost grace one could have, as if she was a prized member of the royalty. In her arms was their pet dog, who they named Rain.


    She approached the pair of father and daughter once she reached the floor and shook her head lightly with disappointment. With a grim face and voice, Li Jiayun raised her hand and pinched Xu Zheng''s left ear, twisting it until it became red. Xu Zheng squealed in pain, releasing his grip on Xu Jiaqi and looking at the person who dared to do this to him.


    Once he realized who it was, he immediately erased all negative thoughts. "J-Jiayun.. My beloved wife, why are you here?" Xu Zheng began to stutter.


    "Do you think that with your voice, that produces a sound so loud that people would think that you have an in-built volume amplifier inside your throat, I wouldn''t be able to hear you from upstairs?! For heavens'' sake, you even scared our dog. You''re even causing trouble for Qiqi right after she came back from the party! She''s clearly tired. You cursed daughter-con father, do you not want your life anymore?!" Li Jiayun was relentless as she let go of the dog and started choking her husband with great force.


    Rain ran over to Xu Jiaqi, attentively looking at the human. Xu Jiaqi smiled, crouching down and giving the little dog pets as she watched her father be strangled by her own mother with interest. She covered the dog''s eyes to save him from the need to witness this atrocious display.


    Yes. Li Jiayun, this seemingly sophisticated woman was someone who had mastered several fields of martial arts in the past. Even though she wasn''t actively training herself right now, the woman had much more fighting capabilities than what a regular person would.


    Of course, she wouldn''t kill Xu Zheng, she would just let the man suffer a bit. Their marriage wasn''t a loveless one, and Li Jiayun did love Xu Zheng as much as the man did to her. Her personality was just a bit off from normal, and her power off the charts by quite a far gap.


    After watching the scene unfold for some moments, Xu Jiaqi finally decided that it was the right time to intervene and save her father before his soul departed for the afterlife.


    "Mother, it''s all fine. Please let father go?" Xu Jiaqi asked.


    Li Jiayun looked at her daughter with her signature piercing eyes, staring down at the shorter female. This type of sinister gaze could be interpreted as negative feelings by a random person, although it was nothing like that in reality.


    The original Xu Jiaqi actually didn''t like Li Jiayun that much. The contrast between Xu Zheng, who treated her like a fragile princess and Li Jiayun, who aligned more towards strict teaching methods led the original to feel somewhat discomforted.


    In truth, Li Jiayun loved Xu Jiaqi just as much as Xu Zheng, if not more. She never harmed her child, and never got angry at her, but her ways of parenting was certainly quite difficult.


    Li Jiayun wanted the best for her daughter, to the point where she would be able to live on her own if one day, their entire family collapsed. Of course, this was nothing but a mere hypothetical saying, but there was no telling what will happen in the future.


    Thus, out of worry, Li Jiayun imposed education, some intermediate training, and provided her with extensive resources to deepen her knowledge. To Xu Jiaqi, this was not the most desirable thing to go through, but there was a trait that Li Jiayun possessed that struck the child in the heart.


    Li Jiayun never gave up on her, no matter how much she failed at first. She was patient in trying to keep her daughter going, and didn''t get angry at her. She would only reteach and practice along with her daughter. To Li Jiayun, this was the ideal parental love.


    Due to her efforts, Xu Jiaqi grew up to be a very respectable lady. She would''ve probably not gotten that title if her father was the only taking care of her since he was way too lenient and forgiving towards the child. The pair of odd parents created a balance that ended up benefiting Xu Jiaqi completely.


    "I was just.. worried about our little princess getting stolen away.. Jiayun, don''t you feel the same way???" Xu Zheng tried to reason with his wife.


    "Xu Zheng, until when are you going to spout nonsense? If that time, when you had to ask for my parents'' permission in our marriage, they said that I''m not allowed to go, what will you do?"


    "I will fight for you! Jiayun, you are the one I love the most in the world!" Even though they were starting to grow older, the love they had maintained since they were in their twenties lasted just the same. As if time hadn''t passed and they were still stuck in the past. Those cheesy words were uttered like it was nothing.


    Looking at the sight, Xu Jiaqi giggled slightly. There were many types of love, one of them being familial love. If Xu Jiaqi was force to pick one type, then it would be this.. Familial love was one of the strongest, most powerful feeling.

 Chapter 19 - 1.16

    "Ao, drop the act. You''re talking too much. Aren''t you busy with work nowadays? Where did you find energy to go bully little Qiqi?" Li Jiayun smacked Xu Zheng''s face away, averting her gaze from her family members. A light flush was formed on her face. "Let''s go in. Are you going to let the princess stand here forever?"


    Coughing, she turned around and prepared to drag Xu Zheng away, to which the man resisted.


    "Mother is right.. Father, the talk can wait until later, I want to take a bath first.. is that not allowed?" Xu Jiaqi took this opportunity and looked at Xu Zheng with pleading eyes, ones that he couldn''t refuse at all.


    The combination of his wife and daughter''s pleading made it impossible for him to refuse. Xu Zheng mumbled incoherent words as he sighed.


    "That... that''s true! Qiqi, let''s go in. You have to rest, the party must''ve been tiring, right?" Xu Zheng hurriedly took his daughter''s hand and waved for the servants to help out with the chores.


    The servants started to move about and approached Xu Jiaqi, some scattering to help take care of her luggage, some off to prepare a nice and warm bath, and the other going around the house to attend to other needs. Xu Zheng and Li Jiayun walked away together, and their dog Rain also followed suit.


    Finally, Xu Jiaqi was freed. She went upstairs to her room, and took a long, calming bath. After that, she proceeded to meet with her parents once more to discuss Qin Zicheng''s matters.


    Xu Zheng and Li Jiayun were sitting together in a long sofa. Xu Zheng had a rocky expression. In his hands was a file comprised of several papers. Xu Jiaqi''s eyes were sharp, she quickly noticed what the content was about.


    The file was a compilation of Qin Zicheng''s information that Xu Zheng was able to gather.


    It was very hard to find information about this man. If Xu Zheng could find it, then Qin Zicheng must''ve allowed access to his own investigation solely because the elder man was Xu Jiaqi''s father.


    Snickering inside, she sat down beside her father and began talking.


    "Father, mother, you two know that if Zicheng ge didn''t want you to know something, then you wouldn''t be able to find out at all costs, right? That data you have on your hand can''t be trusted indeed, but I want to believe what I have experienced firsthand with him. About Zicheng ge, can''t you two just trust me? I believe that I will be capable of making a good judgement on my own."


    "En. She''s absolutely right. Our little princess is growing up. Xu Zheng, she is already an adult, until when are you going to hoard her?" Li Jiayun spoke.


    Before Xu Jiaqi arrived, this pair of adults had actually been fervently discussing the topic of Qin Zicheng, a man who Xu Zheng desperately tried to oppose. He dug up information about him, but could only find positive and glorious information.


    It was because Qin Zicheng especially prepared these facts for Xu Zheng to obtain, trying to make a good impression to the father of the woman he took an interest to.


    On the left side, Xu Jiaqi was talking. On his right, Li Jiayun was also persuading. Sandwiched in the middle of these two, Xu Zheng shook his head.


    "I don''t mind if Qiqi stays with us forever! What''s wrong with not wanting to part with your daughter? Your own flesh and blood? Did the Qin family raise our princess? Did they feed her, change her diapers, or teach them? No! Then, they don''t have the right to steal her away! Dream on, I''m never going to let Qiqi go into that- that twisted house!" Xu Zheng hugged Xu Jiaqi, shielding her vision from Li Jiayun, who was beginning to have a migraine from her ridiculous husband''s antics.


    "Father.. it''s not like I won''t get to see you two anymore once I marry someone, right? I would still have my freedom, all that would change is that I would have a companion by my side. Father, you love mother. Do you want me to die without love like the one you two have? Wouldn''t that be sad?"


    "Actually, I''m also curious about this matter. How come you suddenly got along with Qin Zicheng?" Li Jiayun asked, knowing that her daughter had never set her sights on a man other than the one she had been secretly admiring. "What about the other young man? The Zhou company head." she added.


    Xu Jiaqi made a troubled face hearing her words.


    "Zicheng ge approached me in the party. Today was our first meeting, nothing happened prior to that," Xu Jiaqi said in response. "We just clicked together, and I think we''re very suitable. About Zhou Yuan.. I don''t think that I will be able to uphold him with the same respect I used to give him in the past. Today... Zhou Yuan approached me, saying that I wronged his woman. Clearly, I am not someone who would do that. People who wrongfully accuse without evidence like him, I quickly lost my good feelings for him."


    "Good! Good, very good! I didn''t like Zhou Yuan that much, but I just let it slide since I knew that you were happy watching him from the sidelines." Li Jiayun stated, clapping with vigor. "Now that you''ve opened your eyes to how trashy that man is, I can rest easy!"


    Amidst all this, Xu Zheng was the only one confused. "Who.. Zhou Yuan?! What does he have to do with our Qiqi??!" Xu Zheng was kept in the dark about this matter. The perpetrator for his lack of knowledge was actually right beside him.


    It was Li Jiayun who first found out about Xu Jiaqi''s secret admiration. Wanting to protect her daughter''s fragile feelings from Xu Zheng''s overbearing love, she then proceeded to cover up Xu Jiaqi''s tracks so that her husband wouldn''t find out.


    Ignoring Xu Zheng''s pleas, Li Jiayun continued to speak.


    "Hmm.. I have to say, Qin Zicheng is really not a bad man. Especially with the way he treats you... I''d have to say that I can''t really find anything I''m dissatisfied with about him. He''s better than that Zhou Yuan in every single aspect." Li Jiayun said. "You have a pass from me, you''re free to go snatch that man. I will take care of any possible familial conflicts."


    Li Jiayun was very frank, she was the type to say whatever was on her mind.


    Xu Jiaqi giggled. "Thank you, mother. But... I''m just starting to get to know Zicheng ge, I don''t know what will happen in the future yet. I feel assured when I have your support, though."


    Li Jiayun nodded before turning to look at Xu Zheng.


    "Ah Zheng, just give her the green light. If you don''t, won''t you be restricting Qiqi from her happiness? You''ve always spouted things about wanting to make Qiqi happy, were all of those words nothing but lies?" Li Jiayun gave further pressure to the man.


    Grumbling, Xu Zheng lowered his gaze for a couple seconds before finally shooting back up and announcing his decision.


    "...AHH, forget it! Qiqi, just tell daddy if that bastard causes you any form of discomfort! I will eliminate him for you!!" Xu Zheng said with a large volume, his passion burning.


    Although Xu Zheng''s claims were actually nonsensical, as not even the Xu family could contend against the Qins, Xu Jiaqi knew that this idiot father of hers would really battle them if she was hurt.


    It was rather sweet to know.


    Xu Jiaqi: Parents'' permissions were obtained!


    System: ....Yay!

 Chapter 20 - 1.17

    The next day, Xu Jiaqi woke up to the bright sunlight shining upon her face, making her squint in discomfort as she tried to cover her eye area with the thick blanket she had warming her up. After laying in bed for several more minutes and clearing her thoughts up slightly, Xu Jiaqi got off the bed and started preparing herself for the day. She took a bath, wore good clothes, and went downstairs to dine in.


    "Father, mother, good morning." Xu Jiaqi called out to the pair of adults who were enjoying their breakfast in the dining room sitting side by side. However, their faces were the exact contrast with each other. Li Jiayun had a happy and satisfied face, whereas Xu Zheng looked visibly pissed off at whatever he encountered. The contrast was quite severe, and it was also surprising since Xu Zheng was usually the one who wakes up with a great mood and lightened the atmosphere with his cheesy act.


    Li Jiayun was not a morning person, so she tended to be extra grumpy in this time period. Things that could make her radiate with brightness right now were little in numbers.


    "Father, it''s so early in the morning and you''re already putting up such a face?" Xu Jiaqi sat down, waiting as the servants came to server her food and service.


    "Of course I am mad! Just look outside, look at what that bastard Qin is doing!" Xu Zheng replied, gnashing his teeth as he glared and pointed at the large window, from which slight outlines of a sleek black car was visible.


    Xu Jiaqi tilted her head. Within seconds, it finally clicked within her mind. Qin Zicheng must be waiting outside. Before, she had said that the man could feel free to contact her anytime, and that she agreed with the idea of hanging out together next time.


    ''He is rather impatient, hm?'' Xu Jiaqi commented.


    To Qin Zicheng, Xu Jiaqi was the first woman that he even remotely took interest in. Thus, he wanted to explore what this newfound set of emotions were. He consulted her mother right after coming back home, and the old lady Qin immediately burst into joy upon hearing the woman''s name, who she recognized as the prestigious lady from the Xu family.


    In truth, the status was of second priority to the old madam. The first priority was Qin Zicheng''s wish and motivation. The man has never wanted to pursue a woman, so upon hearing that he caught interest in Xu Jiaqi, she began to contact the woman''s family. It started with Li Jiayun, who the old madam made great efforts for striking up a conversation and getting along with her. She wanted to hurry and cultivate their feelings.


    It turned out that their views were somewhat similar. Although they could only exchange words through means of online contacts and couldn''t fully judge each other''s compatibility, they were able to raise each other''s favorability meter and had already booked a future offline meeting in the upcoming days.


    Which was why, Li Jiayun put up a happy face. Because she had somehow connected with the old madam and their personalities clicked. Her favor towards Qin Zicheng rose even more, so she welcomed him pretty well when he visited the Xu home moments ago. She rarely had friends in the high society, numbering to only one or two due to her personality and views. This was why, upon meeting the old madam, she felt like there was a potential for a much greater tie between them.


    It could be said that the two couple had successfully obtained both of their mothers'' consent before even interacting for longer than a day. It was quite a great feat to do.


    "Ao, father, just don''t mind him, alright? In front of me, can you still bear to put up that scary expression?" Xu Jiaqi played coy to her father, making his heart melt with adoration.


    He coughed several times before conceding and dropping the matter. Little did he know, not pursuing his dislike further would eventually cost him his daughter''s hand in marriage, but that was for the future Xu Zheng to regret.


    After the family finished their breakfast, they went on to their separate ways and did their own things. Xu Jiaqi''s first action was to go outside and meet Qin Zicheng, who has been patiently waiting since before Xu Jiaqi even woke up.


    She went up to his car and knocked on the glass, which has been tinted black and didn''t let you see what was inside.


    "Hello, Qiqi." Qin Zicheng opened the door and said, flashing a gentle smile as he got out of the car. His eyes fell on the graceful beauty that had a pristine aura surrounding her, as if she was a pure flower that has never been tainted. It was the complete opposite of yesterday''s glamorous looks, as she only wore a simple white flowy dress and made her image very relaxed and calming.


    "Zicheng ge, how long have you waited for? Aren''t you bored? You should''ve came inside, ah." Xu Jiaqi said.


    "Your father wouldn''t let me. Your mother wanted to ask me to join the breakfast, but I refused. Qiqi, are you free today?" he asked without even thinking twice. He was very frank and agile in his movements.


    Instead of asking her that, Xu Jiaqi wanted to ask the same question to him. He was already in charge of several companies under the Qin family, why was he this free to actually come and wait for her?


    "I''m free, but what did you want to do?" Xu Jiaqi asked.


    "I want to take you out." Qin Zicheng said, his face stoic and serious, as rigid as stone.


    Xu Jiaqi: Dearest mister, with the tone and expression you had, I would''ve misunderstood that you wanted to take my consciousness out.


    System: Host, you''re so poisonous. Can you not think of those connotations for just one second? If he knew all this.. Baby Cheng Cheng will be sad~


    Xu Jiaqi: ...I''d rather be poisonous than be disgusting like you.

 Chapter 21 - 1.18

    "Then, shall we go now?" Xu Jiaqi looked over to the interior of her home, where she found her mother looking at the couple with proud eyes. Instead of stopping the interaction, Li Jiayun felt happy, even waving to send them off.


    Of course, just like Xu Zheng, Li Jiayun at first had some apprehensive thoughts about letting her princess go forth and mingle with Qin ZIcheng due to his dangerous nature, but upon receiving old madam Qin''s assurance in his son''s prohibition for hurting Xu Jiaqi in any sort of way, she was able to gain a little bit of reconciliation.


    Xu Jiaqi escaped the Xu home bringing nothing but her mobile phone. She let Qin Zicheng lead their plans for the day because she knew that the man must''ve came here with prior preparation.


    The two had quite the sweet ''date'', even though their premise was that of a newly formed ''friendship''. They went to places where a typical couple would visit, and showed public displays of affection as they spent time together, scattering dog food everywhere. Even so, they never addressed or spoke to each other with a romantic sense.


    By the time they were satisfied and declared their outing as done, it was already night time, and of course, Qin Zicheng would have to do the duty of sending Xu Jiaqi back home. They both entered the car and reached the Xu home safely.


    At this point, Xu Jiaqi was already quite certain that their relationship could be explored into something much more, but she still took small steps at a time. She didn''t want to put herself in too much of a submissive position, but she also did not want to anger Qin Zicheng. It was hard to figure out what kind of person Qin Zicheng truly was because the rumors he was involved in did not match with the showcase he gave her.


    Qin Zicheng''s car stopped in front of her home, and the man hurriedly got out of the car to open the door for Xu Jiaqi. His mother told him that little actions piled up were what mattered the most in the long run, and excessive moves right off the bat would only deter the target. The old madam was speaking from her own experience, proving to be a very charming woman back in her prime days that attracted people left and right until she decided to settle with Qin Zicheng''s dad.


    He opened the door, but instead of accepting Qin Zicheng''s support and getting out, Xu Jiaqi raised her hand and gestured for the other to wait. Qin Zicheng raised a brow, waiting for her next action.


    "Zicheng ge, do you trust me?" Before getting out of the car, Xu Jiaqi said.


    Qin Zicheng had an internal debate. He was not someone who would speak lies. He was frank and truthful. There were many forms and levels of trust. He trusted Xu Jiaqi in the sense that he would dare to take some risks and go along with her, but ultimately, his decision would have to depend on what level of severity Xu Jiaqi wanted to bring.


    He nodded slightly. It wasn''t a lie, he really did trust her. Not completely, but at least a lot more than nothing.


    "I want you to acquire.. shares of the Zhou company. You know that because Zhou Yuan doesn''t have much familial backing and excellent connections, he has a hard time garnering financial support? At the start of his career, there was an anonymous sponsor that backed him up. If that person wasn''t there, Zhou Yuan would have never gotten to where he is right now," Xu Jiaqi said, tilting her head and twirling strands of her hair as she slowly spoke. "Zicheng ge, do you know who this sponsor is?"


    "It was you, wasn''t it?" Qin Zicheng''s eyes narrowed slightly. The small change would only be visible to those with keen eyes. His aura shifted as he felt his heart tug at Xu Jiaqi''s words. What did she mean? She wanted to acquire the shares for what? To support, or to destroy the company?


    When he investigated Xu Jiaqi, there was discoveries of her diverting assets and supporting the Zhou entity using a falsified identity. It was very hard to trace back to the woman, but since Qin Zicheng purposely wanted to dig down at her matters, he still found out.


    Such a massive amount of support couldn''t have just been motivated by a casual want. The resources she gave away, along with some beneficial information were things that people would die for. Not to mention, Xu Jiaqi''s support wasn''t just a one time thing, it spanned over the course of Zhou Yuan''s entire career. From the beginning, when he was just a nobody, ignored by the world.


    For Zhou Yuan to receive such efforts from her, exactly what did he do? What spurred her to do those things over the course of such a long time?


    "Yes, it really was me. My eyes were bad, ah. I supported him quite heftily with my family''s resources, all while keeping my identity undercover. I communicate with Zhou Yuan using cryptic methods, and he has been dying to figure out exactly who I am,"


    "Unfortunately.. the game has to end here. I don''t want to be his sugar mommy anymore, so I''m thinking that.. I should just cut his head off right now before it''s too late. What do you think?"


    "Are you willing?" Xu Jiaqi''s beautiful sparkling eyes were dazzling under the moonlight''s shine. She had a sickeningly sweet smile plastered on her face, but the intentions she spouted were unlike her exterior image of a lovely and pure lady.


    Qin Zicheng shuddered, feeling a high rush of adrenaline shoot up through his bloodstream. The thought of Xu Jiaqi holding a devious and complex side to her interested him even more. To promise to destroy another company, especially one of Zhou''s caliber was not an easy one to make. However, for Qin Zicheng, anything was possible.


    Xu Jiaqi did not just speak, her hands also moved and left light touches on Qin Zicheng''s robust body. The fluttery, light tingles sent shivers down his spine. It was his first time being subjected to such treatment and even allowing it in the first place. His heartbeat sped up, and his mind raced with excitement.. The feeling of wanting to look away, but also not being able to resist.

 Chapter 22 - 1.19

    "What''s your answer, Zicheng ge?" Xu Jiaqi asked. Her eyes never lost contact with Qin Zicheng''s own pair as he fell into a stoned state.


    Seconds passed, but to Qin Zicheng, it felt like hours of being flustered and nervous- something he has never gone through before. His train of thoughts went awry, and he tried to regain his reasoning.


    Xu Jiaqi actually did not intend to impose on the main couple, but it seemed like in order to secure herself, she needed to make prior preparations. She learned from the System that main leads were often very scary as they could somehow find themselves discovering a Godsent gift while walking in the middle of the road on a normal day. Their luck was out of the world, and no one would be able to compete with them if nothing impedes.


    For example, even if Xu Jiaqi took off her support, the man would probably be able to find a new sponsor somehow. The only reason the sponsor role fell onto Xu Jiaqi was because it was for the plot''s convenience. Anybody would do, as long as it smoothened out Zhou Yuan''s career path.


    Thus, there needed to be something more than that. Taking control over the entire entity and toppling it down in one swoop. Clipping Zhou Yuan''s wings and leaving no chances for him to retaliate when time comes to play.


    Just like the recent encounter, Xu Jiaqi learned from experience that the story she had read was not everything. So many things could go wrong, and as a supporting character, her luck was not as extensive as the leads, and she could very well be implicated in a terrible situation sooner or later.


    A test of sorts. A test that would not only help prove Qin Zicheng''s sincerity towards her, but also to remove her future enemies. She felt quite bad because many people at the Zhou company would also be involved, but her true priority was still the mission and her own happiness. Whether it was innocent people or sinners, if it meant that Xu Jiaqi will be receiving benefits out of it, then she was willing.


    "..I will do it for you, Qiqi. I just want to ask.. are you doing this out of spite because Zhou Yuan wronged you?" Qin ZIcheng asked. "In the past, you had feelings for him, right?" he asked.


    "Feelings.. Ha, I was just an immature child at that time, I have now learned how stupid I am. Forget about him.." Xu Jiaqi diverted the topic, but her true intention was actually just to incite Qin Zicheng''s imagination even more.


    Xu Jiaqi being this reluctant to speak about Zhou Yuan, dodging the topic and not even willing to say one speck of a bad word towards the man would make him think that there was something much more than what was spoken.


    System: Ahh, my Host is inhumane. How could someone do this kind of act, wuwu!


    Xu Jiaqi: Shh, as long as you get your pay, wouldn''t everything be alright?


    "Zicheng ge, I will be going inside my house now. You can tell me your final decision later on, I won''t mind," Xu Jiaqi giggled before turning around and shutting the gate on Qin Zicheng''s tranced state without hesitation.


    Qin Zicheng stood in the same spot for several minutes just staring into thin air before he went back inside his car. Strangely, he felt irritated. Ever since meeting Xu Jiaqi, he had begun to join in on a terrible rollercoaster of emotions, making him experience all sorts of new feelings he had never comprehended before.


    When he spent time with her, he was happy, he felt comfortable and in peace. When Xu Jiaqi laid her hands on him as she spoke poisonous words, he felt like he was going crazy out of sheer shock and excitement. Now, when he heard her talk about Zhou Yuan, he felt like there was a heavy pressure against his heart, making it hard for him to breathe and control his emotions.


    Anger? Frustration? But for what? Qin Zicheng wasn''t dissatisfied with Xu Jiaqi, the woman made him feel good internally.


    He actually ended up searching for his symptoms online, wondering if he had contracted some kind of strange disease due to his everchanging train of thoughts and emotions. He quickly found a simple answer given to him. Reading articles about him led to five main conclusions that he noted down.


    1. He had romantic feelings towards her.


    2. He is jealous because her mind used to be filled with this man.


    3. He wants the woman to think about him and only him.


    4. He is attracted to her, so his body reacts severely and his emotions fluctuated a lot.


    5. He wants her (?)


    A question mark placed on the fifth conclusion was because he did not understand what it implied.


    He wanted Xu Jiaqi? For what? What kind of want?


    Jealousy? Is that what he experienced?


    He repeated the word inside his heart multiple times as he drove back to his own settlement. All he could think of was the woman''s captivating figure. She dressed very modestly, but her charms were out of the roof when she displayed the contrast of personality in that very moment.


    Remembering it, his heart actually started to palpitate faster. Qin Zicheng became even more confused, thinking that he had to visit his family''s doctor yesterday.


    How could mere romantic feelings cause this much of a change with his body? He felt like he wasn''t even Qin Zicheng anymore, like a ghost had possessed him.


    "Want..." Qin Zicheng looked at his notes and thought about her.


    "Want to keep her,"


    The little bunny that seemed so frail, but actually had a crafty mind and hidden personality.. He wanted to keep her by his side, so that he could protect her and let her do whatever she wanted.

 Chapter 23 - 1.20

    A loud laughter.


    "Qin Zicheng, you must have gone crazy from all the amount of work. Are you sure that you''re not just confused because it''s your first time coming in contact with women like her?" A voice said, chuckling in between the sentence.


    "Don''t talk like that about Qiqi. I''m sure of it. I don''t think I misunderstood anything.. Besides, don''t you talk about finding a fated partner all the time? What if Qiqi is that partner?" Qin Zicheng refuted, his brows knitted as he replied.


    The voice''s owner was called Alan, a good friend of Qin Zicheng who he met during his college days. They didn''t just get along right off the bat, but Alan was strangely amused by Qin Zicheng''s personality and kept trying to befriend him. As time went by, Qin Zicheng also got used to his persistent presence and accepted this friendship they shared.


    Just now, Qin Zicheng had poured his heart out and relayed his heart conditions through the phone. Alan studied medicine, and because his parents were already owners of a large hospital, his success was already exceptional for someone of his age. Qin Zicheng originally wanted to contact his family doctor straight away, but worried that his family would be notified and think that he was afflicted with a disease.


    Thus, he resorted to Alan. Who knew that the man''s first diagnosis would regard him as a crazy man?


    "Haa.. I really don''t know who can attract you.. Wait, no. I''m more confused as to why she was willing to spend more time with you. I had to experience dealing with your difficult personality firsthand, baby~" Alan spoke in a coy manner, which irked Qin Zicheng.


    Qin Zicheng was rather irritated because he felt vexed from his feelings, so he spoke with a rough voice. "Hurry up and tell, do I have a dangerous ailment? Don''t play around."


    The other side of the call fell silent upon receiving this question.


    "..Well- I wouldn''t say that it''s a disease to people, but to me.. Hah, it''s equivalent to poison." Alan spoke.


    "Love is much more poisonous than you think. I''m a pretty narcissistic person, and freedom is a necessity for me. However, once you love someone, you won''t be able to think only for yourself. Half of your mind will be occupied by your loved one. To me, that is taxing."


    Alan was by no means an unpopular person, but everyone who knew him was well aware of how he never got a partner. It was always flings. He was a fun and kind person, but he wouldn''t be interested in a serious relationship no matter who asked.


    "Your judgement will be clouded, and your heart will sway a lot more than before you met her. You have always been a composed person, you always plan everything ahead of time. But for love... blindness. Right, blindness." Alan scoffed. "Blinded by love. It sounds romantic, but for someone of our calibers.. It''s dangerous. A weakness to be exploited."


    "Are you willing to be blind for her?" He asked.


    Qin Zicheng was confused. Why was it so hard to love someone? Why does it have to be cultivated to the point of being blind?


    Isn''t it just love? Like the ones depicted in stories that he once read, but was never interested in?


    "..I think I have to confirm some things further. Alan, I''ll be going now. Thank you for your consultation. Good bye." Qin Zicheng said, quickly hanging up his phone before the conversation could continue forth.


    Strangely enough, he didn''t contradict Alan''s question right away.


    To be blind.


    Considering what he had experienced recently, and the influx of emotions he kept receiving..


    At this point, blindness might just be a side complication.


    His heart raced every time Xu Jiaqi was in her mind.


    He went to his contact list and found Xu Jiaqi''s number listed under the name ''Qiqi''.


    He muttered her name while laying on the bed. He was someone who lived off miniscule hours of sleep, but today, his thoughts were somehow pacified and he was able to slip into a deep sleep.


    ______


    The next week following their ''date'', Xu Jiaqi was having breakfast with her family when an important matter came to light.


    "Father, I wish to enter our family business now." Xu Jiaqi suddenly spoke up, causing the small talk between her parents to cease.


    Xu Zheng''s expression immediately warped, and his hands lowered down the cutleries. His eyes landed on Xu Jiaqi, who looked back at him with a calm expression.


    "Father, can I have this one?" Not backing off, Xu Jiaqi handed him a piece of paper. The paper contained information about a company that was under the Xu family and was not as thriving as the rest.


    Averting this company to go under Xu Jiaqi''s name wouldn''t be as big of a change compared yo the larger entities.


    Xu Jiaqi was someone who had delved in the business world for years to no end. Her confidence was obviously high, and wishing for this specific branch was not just a mere whim she made.


    She planned to develop authentic and small companies. Since she had the brains and the resources to do it, her help was bound to create a change.


    She wanted to solidify her position to lay down the future for her, to let everyone know that she wasn''t someone who they could step over. She wasn''t only the Xu family''s daughter. In the future, if her relationship with Qin Zicheng goes well, she wanted to be known more for her achievements than her romantic affairs.


    "..Qiqi, I know that you are very capable, and that you never denied the heiress position, but I genuinely don''t want you to.." Xu Zheng spoke with a hint of worry, hesitant as to how he should relay the matter.


    His fear laid not on the fact that he was unwilling to give the asset to Xu Jiaqi, but because he was afraid that something would happen to his daughter.


    "Father, fret not. I am well aware of my own abilities and wouldn''t bring myself harm."


    "Qiqi, are you sure about this decision?" Li Jiayun interjected.


    "Yes, mother." Xu Jiaqi''s resolute gaze caused tremors within her parents'' hearts.


    System: Rather than her getting harmed, it''s more like every single evil entity should be scared of her if they want to survive a day longer.


    Xu Jiaqi: I am the angel of justice who will eradicate all evil! Sailor-


    System: Kindly speak less.

 Chapter 24 - 1.21

    "...Then, there''s not much I can say to refute, is there?" Xu Zheng sighed as he took the papers and picked up his mobile phone, calling up his assistant and arranging the process to be done in a short time. "The thing that matters the most is your will and desire. Qiqi, remember. You are Xu Jiaqi, our most beloved daughter. Even though we pamper you a lot, we know that you are already an adult. Your freedom is your choice, and all it takes for you to get out of our safety cage is just.. voicing out your needs."


    "He is right, Qiqi. You have grown up. You have always been known as a little princess, but we know that you are actually a bright individual. You are capable. As your parents, we are very proud of you, we always have been." Li Jiayun added.


    Facing these types of parents, who weren''t frank with their love made Xu Jiaqi''s heart combust with happiness. It felt so surreal. She was used to parents that wouldn''t directly voice their feelings and would only imply their meaning through a roundabout manner, so this type of exposure made Xu Jiaqi flush up even in her acting persona.


    "However, why does it have to be this company? There is so much other candidates. This one has been rotting away for long, the only reason why we didn''t halt the funding was because the location of the company and its assets were rather profitable. It''s basically just worth for its land now. Wouldn''t it be better if you choose a better entity?"


    Xu Zheng was a bit different from usual giant company heads. He was well aware of all of his branches and properly kept watch on all of them.


    This particular company was already blackened to him.


    "I have something to do with it. And.. don''t you think it''s time to tidy up some matters, father?" Xu Jiaqi smirked mischievously, a dangerous glint flashing in her eyes.


    "Qiqi- I know that you are already tired of hearing this, but be careful, honey." Xu Zheng lovingly looked at the woman, who was still just the same little girl he was able to carry in his arms years ago. "I don''t want you to be hurt."


    Xu Jiaqi was all smiles as she faced the helpless expressions of her two parents. "Of course I understand, father, mother. Then, I will be going now. I have some extra preparation that I need to do."


    "Take care, Qiqi!" The two people were left behind in the breakfast table as they waved towards their leaving child.


    _______


    After leaving from the Xu home, Xu Jiaqi received a notification sound from her phone and found out that Qin Zicheng had sent a message to her, asking if a meetup was possible.


    Xu Jiaqi smiled, replying that it was up to him to set the schedule up. The man asked what cuisine she liked to eat, and Xu Jiaqi lazily replied French.


    In the end, Qin Zicheng booked a VIP room for the two of them in a fancy French restaurant for tomorrow.


    Then, her mind was back on the work she had to do.


    The company named Venus.


    One of the reasons why this particular company wasn''t able to flourish even though it was under the Xu family was because the higher ups did a lot of interference in the assets secretly. At first, thry only took a small bit out of the fortune, but their greed and confidence soon soared up after no one noticed their acts.


    This place was already infested with leeches. Xu Jiaqi was here to burn all of them and start anew.


    The basis of this company was pretty good. It was connected in three main businesses- a family restaurant chain, a coffee shop, and bakeries.


    Food business.


    To remodel the entire thing would take a long process. It was easier to destroy everything and start from the beginning.


    Not only was the company assets touched, the shops were also tainted. The establishment of some shops were only attempts to divert and cover up their tracks. What they had in mind wasn''t to do business, but to embezzle the funds.


    The chunk they took out from the parent Xu company might not be astronomical, but it was still detrimental. This company was the worst of all the branches.


    In the future, Xu Jiaqi planned to clean all of the dirt out from the Xu''s business.


    She stepped inside the company building. Due to its rather low scale impact, the building wasn''t maintained all that well, and several employees were cut off in order to balance their cheating.


    Nobody was there in the first floor when Xu Jiaqi stepped in.


    Only after she mockingly dialed up her father''s assistant''s number did sounds of hurried steps ensue after several minutes.


    A rather unkempt man came to greet her, seemingly quite annoyed at her arrival. He clicked his tongue.


    "Xu.. Tsk. Miss Xu, right? Please come with me." The man spoke with a rough voice, turning his back on Xu Jiaqi right after that without looking back.


    In the deserted place, Xu Jiaqi looked like a dazzling pearl who emanated a luxurious light as she walked beside the man.


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyes were cold as she observed the infested place. It might have been worse than she thought.


    The man escorted her up to the higher floors, but his eyes never showed any positive attitude. Xu Jiaqi, too, did not want to make unnecessary interactions since she would later on do a ''test'' anyway.


    She hated cleaning, but she also hated dirty objects.


    With a lofty aura, she arrived at the company head''s office and entered the room.


    "Hello, I am Xu Jiaqi, and you are fired."


    A short and simple introduction that made the other person''s face turn green.


    Xu Jiaqi: Sometimes I admire my own frankness and efficiency.

 Chapter 25 - 1.22

    The head, whose name was Huang Dong''s eyes practically bulged out of his eye sockets. He had already been pissed when he received a call saying that the Xu family''s daughter was going to come visit. His branch was only a small ant in front of the large main body that is the Xu''s lair, so why would she bother with his company?


    Although he was titled the head, he actually did not do his work properly and only directed the necessary duties to his subordinates. This kind of rotten act was left alone because there was no one to persecute him, but Xu Jiaqi came prepared.


    Not only was she planning to get the man off of his seat, but she also brought the irrefutable evidence with her that would even possibly put the man in jail if it was brought to the court. With this kind of weapon in hand, Xu Jiaqi did not believe that the man wouldn''t leave on his own accord. He of all people should be aware of all the crimes that he had committed.


    "D-don''t be unreasonable, little lady. Even if you are the Xu family''s daughter, it''s unethical to force someone out of their work without any backing," Naturally, Huang Dong wasn''t that stupid if he was able to manipulate all his coworkers to join him in corruption and keep the matter under the wraps for so long without anyone tattling on him.


    He knew that Xu Jiaqi''s reason for her visit was because his crimes were discovered. Or else, why would she tell him to step down? However, he had long prepared for this kind of situation. He maintained a calm composure as she faced Xu Jiaqi''s judgemental gaze.


    He was very careful in his corruption and always covered up his tracks cleanly after processing the transactions he made, so that when someone investigated, they wouldn''t be able to dig it up


    However, who did Xu Jiaqi have on her side?


    It was the System. The System had been put to rigorous work ever since Xu Jiaqi set her mind on acquiring this particular company, which was why he hadn''t showed up very often recently. It was because he had been tasked to dig up dirt about every single person that have committed sins inside the Xu family''s business, no matter how big or small it is.


    All to support Xu Jiaqi''s cleaning. This was also the reason why she waited a whole week to get the entire plan up and running. Because the System just recently came back.


    System: You all better praise me for the hellish work I did. I even uncovered some **** and ******** that I desperately want to erase from my database memory..


    Xu Jiaqi: Pat pat. Think about all the rewards and you will be pacified, en?


    System: Capitalist System on the work! Please give money!


    Huang Dong would be the first victim of her massacre. There would be more to come, but she wanted to specifically start with him first.


    Snickering, Xu Jiaqi slapped the document file containing confidential information about everything that Huang Dong has done, including details about his coworkers and teammates. Huang Dong raised a brow as he picked the document up with suspicious eyes. He opened the seal up and took out the generous amount of papers, with some photographs and memory cards stored in a plastic bag.


    "Proof, right? Go take a look, I''m sure that you will even find stuff that you yourself don''t know about," Xu Jiaqi smirked as she watched Huang Dong try to compose himself even though his heartbeat must be speeding up like a rollercoaster right now.


    "This.. this doesn''t make sense! How do you.. how do you even know about the first incident?!" Huang Dong clutched his head in despair. Everything was stated in detail, and there was not only text evidence, but all sorts of media. Be it pictures, recordings, the videos stored inside the memory cards, and all of that- it was neatly compiled inside Xu Jiaqi''s document.


    The first incident Huang Dong talked about was a small embezzlement that he committed several years back. It was so small compared to the acts he did right now because he was still quite scared at that time. However, his crime began to grew as not only was his actions not stopped, the others also began to join in after they realized that this was a perfect opportunity to gain money.


    The fact that Xu Jiaqi could even discover that part made him so anxious and riddled in fear for his life that he immediately stood up from his chair and pointed his index finger towards Xu Jiaqi. "You- you.. exactly who are you??!"


    Huang Dong did not believe that a simple Xu Jiaqi would be capable of administering such an intensive search. And he was correct, since it wasn''t Xu Jiaqi who personally compiled the data, but the anonymous System whose forte was in the technology department.


    The System itself was part of technology, and it could easily manifest itself inside the world''s databases and records to extract certain pieces of information all while keeping it under the world''s sensory radars.


    In this scenario, the System really was omnipotent. However, as the world''s difficulty continued to increase, the System will no longer have the ability to bypass the world''s eyes that easily. Unless he was upgraded to the heavens, his ability would soon be suppressed.


    Huang Dong ended up fainting because of the element of shock he received. He fell down to the ground and Xu Jiaqi confidently took her mobile phone out of her purse and dialed the emergency number, calling medical services.


    Her job was done, and the reformation would soon begin. Of course, it would be led by her, but was it really that simple?


    This company was not the only one that cheated. There are even ones who incurred losses in billions for corruption.


    As for why Xu Jiaqi decided to clean this specific company up first, even though it didn''t really cost the Xu business as much loss as the bigger sharks?


    Well, it was because of a certain employee that worked in this company and even supported Huang Dong''s deeds.


    Bai Mengxue''s father.

 Chapter 26 - 1.23

    Bai Mengxue''s father, Bai Jingyan worked inside Venus. He first entered as a wholesome employee with a bright mindset.


    At first, that is. Upon being exposed to the crimes his higher ups committed, and knowing that he was going to get forever suppressed if he didn''t join them, he eventually succumbed to the temptation of dirty money and joined in with the rest of the crew.


    It was done not only because he feared for his career, but also because he needed money to manage his family. With the dirty money he would receive, he could work less and earn more. A perfect offer.


    Thus, Xu Jiaqi also had a good amount of dirt on Bai Jingyan. Enough to put him in jail for years.


    Naturally, Xu Jiaqi did not intend to purge him out right away. In fact, she was planning to keep Bai Jingyan inside the company to give him a false sense of assurance. He would see his partners in crime get thwarted out, but his turn won''t come.


    In a sense, Xu Jiaqi was holding Bai Jingyan hostage for a bargaining chip.


    After her lovely trip, she left the company and arranged operations for the assistant her parents hired for her.


    "Here you go. You are smart, I believe that you know what to do. Leave no one intact except for Bai Jingyan." Xu Jiaqi handed a briefcase to the assistant, who went by the name Suzy.


    Suzy was a capable worker personally selected by Xu Zheng to aid Xu Jiaqi, so she did not have any problems trusting this person and her abilities.


    After leaving the job, she rested for the rest of the day and only spent time looking at her materials listlessly.


    Inside her head, her plans were neatly constructed and ready to be executed at any time. Smirking as she leaned against the window, where bright rays of sunlight poured in and illuminated her figure, she closed her eyes and reminisced about the past.


    She was Xu Jiaqi. Ultimately, she wished to come back to that world, but by the time she was done as an agent and could administer freedom in her actions, the ones who she wanted to take revenge on would be dead.


    It was best to separate her lingering emotions. There was no longer a point in brooding over the memories of the past, so she planned to treat that world as a mission world and not a destination.


    Being an agent Host was also not bad.


    Sensing the feelings his Host had, the System worried. Typically, Hosts of other Systems did feel homesick from time to time. Some couldn''t continue on their journey anymore because of desperation. But Xu Jiaqi was too calm. Far too calm for her own good. Normal people usually had some sort of emotions evoked at first, but Xu Jiaqi was able to completely detach herself like this.


    He worried that since his Host hadn''t been exposed to emotion for all her developing years, she would be affected by the worlds in the future, where more dramatic situations would come. He began to look up for solutions to this dilemma, consulting with the other Systems on what to do to get his Host used to facing the emotions.


    _______


    Xu Jiaqi went out for dinner alone tonight, and she coincidentally encountered a nuisance that she branded as annoying inside her head.


    It was Bai Mengxue. Judging from the restaurant''s status, someone like Bai Mengxue wouldn''t have gotten in without the involvement of a third party. In this case, it should be Zhou Yuan. Despite their strained interactions in the last party, they seemed to have calmed down and rejoined back.


    "Hello there." Xu Jiaqi lightly waved as she greeted the woman who wore a white dress as always. Bai Mengxue particularly loved the color white, and it did enunciate her aura of purity.


    "Xu.. Jiaqi," Bai Mengxue openly displayed an uncomfortable expression in front of her, and even scooted backwards. Her mind was racing fast as she faced the big miss. "Are you here to tail us? You still have feelings for Yuan ge, don''t you? I''m sorry... Yuan ge loves me, not you."


    Bai Mengxue still kept her facade even while spouting such obvious provocating words. Truly a skill.


    However, facing that statement, Xu Jiaqi had nothing else to do but laugh. The preparation she had done proved to be useful this quickly, why wouldn''t she be joyful?


    "Do you even know where your father works, sweet lady?" Xu Jiaqi tilted her head as she looked down at Bai Mengxue in amusement.


    Bai Mengxue felt a deep fear creeping from within her heart as she did not answer, but pursed her lips as an unsettling premonition struck her.


    "I suppose your father doesn''t tell you much about his work. Then, I will tell you. The company''s name is Venus. A company relating to the food business. And it''s a subsidiary of a much larger company, which is a child company of an even larger company.. by the name Xu. And you know who I am, hm?"


    "Firing your father will be.. as easy as slicing a cake, don''t you think?" Xu Jiaqi''s fingers trailed down Bai Mengxue''s face, closing up on her and making sure that the woman understands who has the upper hand here.


    "You are spouting nonsense. My father has done nothing wrong. If you fire him, you will be deemed as tyrannical! I.. I am leaving. Good day, Xu.. Miss Xu," Bai Mengxue broke free out of her grip and backed away. She stuttered as she began to turn around and pick up her pace.


    Xu Jiaqi was also getting bored of the play, so she dropped one final bomb.


    "Am I tyrannical, I wonder? Ahh, I forgot to tell you. The company Venus will soon rebrand, and all of the employees that committed crimes will be properly handled by the means of law. Of course, the employees who stayed upright will be left alone. Miss Bai, do you think your father will go into court... or will this heroic figure of yours stay a hero in your eyes?" Xu Jiaqi taunted, knowing that Bai Mengxue was completely unaware of the covert operations her father participated in.


    "My.. my father wouldn''t do such things! You are blatantly lying to me!"


    System: Host, you sound like a villain.


    Xu Jiaqi: If being a villain is what it takes to gain success and glory, I will gladly become the embodiment of evil for it.

 Chapter 27 - 1.24

    "I have warned you before. You might think that I am just another woman that you can get past using your trickery, but think again." With that, Xu Jiaqi left Bai Mengxue, who was still confused as to what Xu Jiaqi entailed.


    Naturally, a person like Xu Jiaqi wouldn''t just accuse people out of nowhere. Even though Bai Mengxue didn''t like the big miss, she understood this quality of hers. She really was known to be an upright person in the high society.


    Even though her parents pampered her through and through, she still became a dazzling figure. A perfect role model that everyone aspired to be and loved. She was known to have little interactions with people, but there were still many that wanted to approach her.


    Xu Jiaqi''s assumptions were correct. Bai Mengxue was extremely uncertain about herself. That was why, she resorted to framing Xu Jiaqi to make her look bad in front of Zhou Yuan''s eyes. This plan did not fully succeed, and even caused her detrimental reactions instead.


    Because Bai Mengxue was intertwined with Zhou Yuan, a successful and bright young man, she had paid special attention to the people around him. Xu Jiaqi was an eyesore. Someone who could threaten her.


    After being dumbstruck for minutes, everything finally sunk in for Bai Mengxue. Although Xu Jiaqi usually did not get angry or use force, she was still a dragon. A sleeping dragon. And she had just offended this dragon. Not once, not twice, but thrice.


    Naturally, revenge would come.


    An eye for an eye.


    Bai Mengxue shuddered and began to flee from the place, leaving Zhou Yuan without any warning. She remembered that Xu Jiaqi had mentioned her father and immediately ran off to contact said man, wanting to confirm if what the miss said was true.


    If it was, then wouldn''t she be doomed? Zhou Yuan definitely couldn''t protect her family if Xu Jiaqi was the one pursuing the case. Not to mention, the miss seemed to have special connections with the Qin heir. Bai Mengxue entered a taxi, anxiously directing the driver to her father''s company while biting her nails.


    [Host, Bai Mengxue fled. Zhou Yuan is still in the restrooms.] The System reported. Although it couldn''t directly spy on random people, it was able to sense the leads'' location if they were nearing her.


    ''Hmm? Fled? It seems like Bai Mengxue isn''t that irrational after all. I thought that female leads like her would be dumber.'' Xu Jiaqi commented.


    She did not expect to fish out the maximum result from Bai Mengxue this fast. She had originally planned to manipulate her resources a bit more. With this, she should act in fear from now on.


    No more petty tricks hurled down her way. In a battlefield like this where Xu Jiaqi''s continuous life was as stake, she would go all out without mercy.


    Seeing his Host''s bloodthirsty gaze, the System shuddered and quietly shielded itself.


    Xu Jiaqi''s days went peacefully.


    Meanwhile, Bai Mengxue was panicking on her side. She had confirmed the accusations with her father. She had to interrogate him for a couple days until he finally spilled the beans. Xu Jiaqi wasn''t lying. Her father really did get involved in covert operations. He was set to be in jail if she doesn''t do anything.


    Xu Jiaqi did not tell her when she was going to launch the court cases. How much time did she have left before her father gets in trouble?


    Gritting her teeth in nervousness, she searched  up Zhou Yuan''s number to seek salvation, but her hands stopped before the call button was pressed.


    Previously, after she left Zhou Yuan alone in the restaurant, the man had called her. His voice was laced with bits of anger and frustration. He told her that she had been causing him so much trouble recently.


    Being conscious of that, she was afraid that once she told this matter to him, Zhou Yuan would be even more disappointed in her and ruin her chances of looking good.


    "No, no. I can''t call Yuan ge.. There must be someone else who can help. There must be someone else! Think, Mengxue. Who can help you? Who can bypass the court.." Bai Mengxue''s heart was racing as fast as a galloping horse as she frantically looked through her phone.


    After a hot minute, her fingers stopped scrolling. Her eyes landed on one specific contact. Grinning evilly, she rang that number up. The other party picked up in a matter of seconds.


    "What''s the matter, Xue er? Have you finally realized that Zhou Yuan isn''t suitable for you?" The man asked. His voice was gruff and low. Bai Mengxue was actually rather scared of this man, but she had no other choices. If she wanted to save her father- no, save her future, she had to turn to this kind of man.


    "Tian ge.. should we meet up? I miss you." Bai Mengxue acted coyly. She felt disgusted because this man, unlike Zhou Yuan, was a pest that once terrorized her. Because Zhou Yuan blocked him off, Bai Mengxue never saw him again, but she knew that this suitor of hers was actually quite powerful.


    He worked with the underground goons, doing deceitful and treacherous crimes left and right.


    He would be able to do something about her situation.


    Picking up her confidence, she chatted with the man for several minutes before hanging up, a murderous look present in her ''pure'' face.


    "Let''s see who will have the last laugh, Xu Jiaqi!" Bai Mengxue chuckled darkly as she banged her fist on the wall beside her.


    Signs of blackening. When a lead became too usurped in negative emotions, they can transform into a condition called ''blackening''. Because leads are meant to follow a set ''script'', when these foreign emotions that were unaccounted for strikes, they will have troubles managing it. As such, their heart could become polluted, and their decisions would be influenced to a high level.


    Bai Mengxue, in particular, was an archetype female lead who had a simple mindset and was easily influenced by a sudden change suffered


    The worries and frustration that piled up inside her mind quickly turned into a dense ball of hatred that was directed at the one who indirectly caused her heart to spiral out of control: Xu Jiaqi.


    The System picked up this change even from far away because of his internal favorability meters.

 Chapter 28 - 1.25

    That evening, Xu Jiaqi was notified by one of her servants, telling her that a certain man is waiting up on her. She had been waiting for this call, so she immediately went downstairs all dressed up and pretty. She passed by her parents, who were watching a movie together and relaxing.


    It was a tragic movie, so Xu Zheng was bawling while his hands were occupied with grabbing popcorn. Li Jiayun, on the other hand, tried to resist the tears as the leads who acted in the movie encountered tragic accidents one after another. Xu Jiaqi notified them of her departure, but the two were too fixated and engrossed in the movie that they just told her to be safe without asking who she was going to go out with.


    Xu Jiaqi slipped out of the house and saw the figure who was waiting on her.


    "Zicheng ge, good evening. Are you here to pick me up?" Xu Jiaqi leaned by her door as she watched the man, who was dressed in a rather tight suit approach her.


    "En. Are you ready to go?" Qin Zicheng had a gentle smile on his face. When he consulted her mother, she pointed out that he does not smile much, and that might affect Xu Jiaqi''s views about him. He was never the type of person to generously give away his smiles, but smiling in front of Xu Jiaqi was not as hard as he thought it would be.


    The lady was not only pleasant to look at, but also easy to interact with. They got into the car and started going to the restaurant the man booked.


    Before this, Qin Zicheng abruptly asked her if the two of them would be able to have dinner together. Xu Jiaqi was indeed free that day, so she readily agreed.


    A week had passed from the day Xu Jiaqi confronted Bai Mengxue. Things have naturally progressed smoothly. Qin Zicheng was also suppressing Zhou Yuan on his side, leading to the man having complications over his business'' continuation. This stress caused him to also slowly grow further apart from Bai Mengxue.


    In the original story, the two leads would always have something to pull out of their pockets when a trouble arrived. This time, however, faced with two giant families'' pressure that were clearly out of their league, who can help them out?


    Their relationship was suffering, and everything was going according to Xu Jiaqi''s plan.


    When the criminals were brought into court, there was something that went out of Xu Jiaqi''s expectations. It was the punishment granted to Bai Mengxue''s father.


    Even though Bai Mengxue should just be a normal woman, she somehow managed to get her father out of the harshest trouble. Her father got less than what he was supposed to get. Since the punishment allocated to him had a bail option, Xu Jiaqi played foul behind the scenes to maximize the bail as much as possible, staying within the realms of law. As such, the amount of money that was needed was impossible for Bai Mengxue to pull out no matter how hard she tried.


    Xu Jiaqi was waiting for the woman to come and ask Zhou Yuan for the payment. Zhou Yuan was also having his own problems, and above all, she noticed a characteristic about the man. He was quite sensitive to spending money, which could be attributed to his tragic past where he was forced to skip meals from time to time just because he couldn''t afford it.


    With such a past, would he really dare spend so much money on Bai Mengxue, someone who he hadn''t been in a formal relationship with yet? Not to mention, Bai Mengxue had caused him several problems. His company was also suffering under the anonymous hands of Qin Zicheng.


    All of that added up, Xu Jiaqi didn''t believe that the couple would be able to have a sweet and happy ending like before. Reality was harsh. Harsher than anybody could ever expect. You never know when tides change, it was all up to fate to decide.


    However, Xu Jiaqi, as an agent Host, could be described as someone who defied fate.


    The System rapidly warned her that Xu Jiaqi was pushing the case too much, and that her mission would still be resolved even without the downfall of the main couple. Even so, after seeing Bai Mengxue intending to harm her even before she made any moves, why shouldn''t she take some measures to prevent future accidents?


    She knew that Bai Mengxue was blackening, and that her character in front of Zhou Yuan was also beginning to fall apart with all the dilemmas that hit her. A relationship like that wouldn''t last.


    Just yesterday, Bai Mengxue had lashed out to Zhou Yuan after feeling like the man hasn''t paid much attention to her recently. Not to mention, she also had spotted him chatting with a beautiful model. Bai Mengxue was someone prone to jealousy, and the inferiority complex she possessed struck her quite harshly.


    Zhou Yuan, who was only interacting with the model because she was working for one of his projects naturally became quite angry. Bai Mengxue did not understand much about Zhou Yuan''s work, but she knew that he was successful. She did not know that recently, the man has been hit with various troubling matters and was at the peak of being stressed.


    The two fought verbally, and it ended up with Bai Mengxue falling to her knees and crying with all her heart. Bai Mengxue realized that she had been too harsh. The two of them were still on the trial period of a relationship. There was a limit onto how much she could push her narrative.


    Thus, Bai Mengxue decided to end the fight using her waterworks, but it actually ended up backfiring because Zhou Yuan thought that Bai Mengxue was too unreasonable. Instead of continuing to discuss and smooth the wrinkles out with him, she chose to cry out of nowhere and take the victimized role.


    Apologies that weren''t sincere, what were they other than bullshit?


    Zhou Yuan was tired out, so he chose to leave the woman alone. But after all that happened, it was a matter of course that he started rethinking his choices and feelings.


    Xu Jiaqi: Ha, let me see what else you can do!

 Chapter 29 - 1.26

    Without paying any more attention to the leads'' situation, Xu Jiaqi went ahead and built good feeling with Qin Zicheng, forming a bond with the man. She was almost certain that she would be content with spending a lifetime with him to fulfill her missions. The only remaining trouble was the question of whether or not Qin Zicheng would reciprocate that sentiment.


    Sure, Qin Zicheng was interested in her right now. But they were just in the initiation phase. Who knew how the man would feel a month, two months, or a year later? A lifetime was quite the long time unless you died in early age. To make such a long lasting, large decision was not an easy feat for most people.


    Life was filled with unpredictable variables, and it would be hard for anyone to live through it smoothly without any rocky segments, even as an influential and privileged person. Life would fluctuate at any time and create new scenarios for you to go through every day, whether you like them or not.


    Xu Jiaqi''s captivating eyes looked at Qin Zicheng passionately. Her gaze was caught by the man, who began to feel an amorous feeling brimming inside of him again. After being coached by his mother repeatedly, he had grasped the basics of romance, and knew that what he was feeling was normal for a person in love. It wasn''t a heart disease.


    He was originally prepared to leave Xu Jiaqi if he truly had a terminal illness or something serious because he did not want to reel the woman only to leave her with pain after he suffers a great trouble, so he was extremely relieved after learning that he was all clear in his physical health checkup, and everything laid within his feelings. Towards Xu Jiaqi.


    His strong, sharp eyes locked gazes with Xu Jiaqi. The food had been finished, so they were just chatting until they decided to leave the restaurant for good. Qin Zicheng did not know what to do, but he went along with her flow, wondering what the woman was trying to probe on with her beautiful eyes.


    "Say, Zicheng ge, do you like me?" Xu Jiaqi twirled her slightly curled hair as she spoke.


    "...Why do you ask that?" Qin Zicheng''s adam apple bobbed as he felt like a knot was forming in his throat, making his voice a bit hoarse and hard to speak. His eyes grew a little bit expectant as Xu Jiaqi giggled, her voice as charming as chiming bells.


    "Zicheng ge, I think I like you. Do you feel the same as me?" Xu Jiaqi suddenly confessed. Since she was playing the bold character with Qin Zicheng, she felt like this was the best course of action.


    She had analyzed Qin Zicheng''s likes and dislikes over the course of her monitoring every single time she was with the man. She began to pick up the man''s little gestures and tendencies. Although Qin Zicheng did not know this fact, Xu Jiaqi''s actions were actually very well maintained and controlled within her acting realms in order to maximize favorability.


    Just like the other times, Qin Zicheng''s infatuation began to spike up after hearing Xu Jiaqi''s confession.


    Ding!


    [Side Quest: A Thousand Years Worth of Love.]


    Details: Xu Jiaqi, the unloved woman, has never experienced what it feels like to be cared for to the point of ''until death do us part''. Although many people voice out that line in their vows, who would actually dare to do it in case of danger? A Thousand Years Worth of Love, a true couple should stay together no matter what happens, never to be separated by trivial matters.  Dangers, trials, and tribulations are things that are meant to be shared. Reach the Favorability Peak and make your target sacrifice his life and death for your sake.


    Target: Qin Zicheng, Favorability: 50.


    Xu Jiaqi''s brows rose when she saw the notification pop up.


    ''Oh? The side quest finally arrived?'' Xu Jiaqi asked the System.


    [Yes, Host. It was triggered since Qin Zicheng finally broke the meter of favorability points, going over the fifty count. The side quest isn''t entirely relevant to your work, but you will get a good reward if you complete it. You won''t really suffer if it''s not completed. However, in order to get an SS grade in the System, you will need to complete every single quest. For this world, there are only two, the previous main quest and this one. The System has decided that Qin Zicheng is your target because of the existing bond you now have.]


    ''I see.. Well, this makes it even more important for me to snatch and grab onto Qin Zicheng forever. If I fail with him, can I change my target?''


    [For this world, yes. You are eligible for reaching fifty points of favorability with another man, from where you could start to redo the mission progress and complete it. However, for some worlds, special criteria might be applied, some of them being a ''forceful bond'' or tie with a character that would not allow you to change your target once the System set it up.] The System explained.


    ''I see.. That''s good. My confession propelled Qin Zicheng up to fifty points? Hays, he is actually quite an easy man. Just this little amount of time and he''s already trapped. It''s quite adorable, so to say.'' Xu Jiaqi laughed internally.


    "Qiqi... I, too.." Qin Zicheng coughed, clearing his throat as he spoke. He was an outspoken person, so anything that crossed his mind were usually able to be said without any blockages stopping them. However, this time, something seemed to be blocking his speech, making it hard for him to portray his feelings.


    However, he pressed through, knowing that these things had to be said right now. Xu Jiaqi already said her part, how could it be that he was struck by nervousness and ended up not being able to reach her? He took a deep breath as he continued to speak.


    "I too like you very much." Qin Zicheng confessed. "Would you be my partner?" he asked, watching as Xu Jiaqi''s expression melt into a sweet smile that he loved to see a lot.

 Chapter 30 - 1.27

    "When two people like each other, what does Zicheng ge think they must do?" Xu Jiaqi teased, picking up her glass of wine gently and sipping the alcoholic liquid in a sultry manner. Her eyes were kept on Qin Zicheng the entire time, and picked up his undeniably shaken attitude.


    Qin Zicheng thought to himself deeply before answering innocently.


    "They should marry each other?"


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyes widened, then blinked a few times. She knew that Qin Zicheng was quite innocent in matters like these, but to this point?


    "Ao? Zicheng ge, what year is it? How come you jump straight to marriage? Aren''t you afraid that I''m some gold digger who would steal your fortune when you''re not looking? Marriage.. That kind of thing can''t be done like changing clothes, ah. I hate people who think marriage is a convenient thing." Xu Jiaqi puckered her lips, pouting in disappointment.


    Qin Zicheng panicked and shook his head. "No, I don''t just ask people to marry me like this out of nowhere.. Qiqi, you are different."


    "..If one day.. let''s say, I lose my memories, and I''ll no longer be the Xu Jiaqi you know, then are you going to abandon me?" Xu Jiaqi asked. "I''m different from the others, hm? That''s vague. If I suddenly acted like everybody else, are you going to cancel out your feelings?"


    Xu Jiaqi was getting bitter, and a part of her chaotic emotions suddenly took over as she muttered these words. She didn''t know what went by her head. She just suddenly thought of her situation, thought of how acting was such a prominent thing everybody did in their lives.


    Right now, to Qin Zicheng, she was also acting to a certain level.


    ''How pathetic.'' Xu Jiaqi thought.


    A good actor was someone who wouldn''t break out of their character when doing their job. Xu Jiaqi still hasn''t fully mastered separating her character from her true self, so she got a bit wary after this incident happened. The fact that even after she sought to forget her past memories, the sentimental values still stayed back was quite dangerous to her future prospects.


    "This matter.." Qin Zicheng''s brows crumpled as he sought the answer within himself.


    However, just as he was about to come close to the answer he wanted to present, Xu Jiaqi suddenly cut the topic off.


    "Fret not. I''m not asking you to answer this kind of philosophical question right off the bat. I was just raising the idea up. For now, since we know that both of us like each other, then we can just simply date. It''s as easy as that. Dating isn''t like marriage, where you have to go through the trouble of setting everything up. We can just enjoy our time together as a couple." Xu Jiaqi leaned back to her seat and spoke.


    Qin Zicheng showed a frustrated expression, perhaps because of his lack of ability to answer the question Xu Jiaqi had thrown to him. However, he was more interested in the promise Xu Jiaqi made, and that was to date.


    "What do you think about this, ge?" Xu Jiaqi questioned.


    "Of course.. of course we should. We should date." Qin Zicheng replied resolutely. He never knew that engaging in something like love would be this much of a heart exercise. His heart was pumping through and through, making him constantly worry about himself.


    "Then it''s set. Congratulations on our first day, please remember the date. Let''s see... 23rd of April. It''s not my favorite number, but it''s fine, I suppose?" Xu Jiaqi tilted her head as she pulled out her phone and opened up the camera.


    In her camera app, there was a filter specially made for couples who just treaded on their first day of relationship. The filter had hearts floating around the screen, and allowed you to input a date on the bottom right corner. Xu Jiaqi quickly snapped up a picture of the two of them and saved it into his gallery.


    In seconds, this picture was sent to Qin Zicheng''s message box, which triggered the man to look at the picture with great interest.


    Xu Jiaqi typed on the message app.


    Little Qiqi: There you go.


    Little Qiqi: Oh hello there, my boyfriend :)


    Little Qiqi: Zicheng ge, come to my house when you are free and face my parents. Be prepared :D


    A smile bloomed on Qin Zicheng''s face seeing his girl''s playful chats. However, instead of replying, he shut off his phone and placed it into his pocket.


    "Ao, you''re not going to respond?" Xu Jiaqi complained.


    "The real person is right before me, and she''s so pleasing to look at. Why would I prefer to look at a boring screen?" Qin Zicheng''s playful manner also seemed to awaken after his initial stages of shock and surprise. He began to rack up his mind to not only retaliate on Xu Jiaqi''s teasing, but also do it better than her.


    "...Very welllll. Look as much as you want, I know that I''m pretty." Xu Jiaqi dragged out her words, posing beautifully for the man to see. "Do you like a cute girl? Or perhaps a charming woman, a strict figure, or someone you could pamper until death?" Xu Jiaqi changed her poses, acting into different characters consecutively.


    To this question, Qin Zicheng refused to pick out of the selections he was given.


    "I like.. Xu Jiaqi." He calmly said without shame. "Xu Jiaqi, I only like you, I don''t need you to become something else."


    "...Is that so?"


    He liked Xu Jiaqi, the persona she was acting. It was quite ironic. She ''liked'' him because she had a mission. She brainwashed herself to ''like'' Qin Zicheng, her target, so that her character would be fulfilled. The Big Miss Xu of this world, not the soul inside the body.


    He only liked the Xu Jiaqi, a character she made to fulfill her mission.


    Once again, she felt conflicted.


    Xu Jiaqi: Why is it so complicated?

 Chapter 31 - 1.28

    "I''ll accept that answer. Like I said, you don''t need to think that far when you''re with me. Let''s just enjoy the moment.. as two adults who somehow took a liking to each other. I don''t really fall for someone that easily, so you are quite special, you know?"


    Qin Zicheng received the statement and felt flattered. He had a hard time coming up with an equally good compliment, and he only decided on a suitable one after a good minute had passed. This panicked side of him made it even more endearing for Xu Jiaqi to look at.


    Xu Jiaqi loved to see the man''s expressive attitudes. He was a lot more innocent despite what everybody had been projecting to his personality.


    Just because he was the large ringleader behind a massive corporation, and because he showed a lack of interest in things, people branded him as scary and frightening. In fact, what she saw wasn''t that. It was just a man who couldn''t find his probe. A trigger to his feelings.


    For him, and her missions, she was willing to become the probe to his heart.


    The source of his obsession.. and also the target of it.


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyes curved up as she smiled, chuckling lowly. They enjoyed the rest of their dinner and deepened their interactions even more especially because of their updated status of relationship. They were able to tread into cautious realms, and try to invoke amorous feelings from each other. They were able to sound their feelings.


    As Qin Zicheng drove the woman back to her home, he was a bit worried as he spoke. "My enemies might mark you down as one of my people. Although I have always kept a stern eye on what I treasure, you might be out of range when danger approaches. This might be a strange request, but are you willing to let me employ bodyguards for you? I will ensure that they won''t be intrusive, but it is necessary if we are talking about safety. No matter how hard we try to hide it, they will definitely find out and try to sabotage people on your side too. I''m not worried about your family business because I know they can handle it, and I could help as well. But your personal safety..." Qin Zicheng said in one go.


    "...Ge, you are too worried. Although I may look weak, I''m not. Besides, I already have several bodyguards tailing me when I go out. Naturally, I didn''t bring them because I know that being with you is probably the safest place I can ever hide to. As for your people... I don''t mind them as long as they don''t cause problems and inconveniences for me." Xu Jiaqi smiled.


    She thought that it was rather sweet. The man, who was said to be overbearing had to ask about putting people around her even though he knew it was necessary. If she refused, what would he do? Wouldn''t he still need to protect her?


    They both got out of the car and stood in front of each other.


    Xu Jiaqi gave Qin Zicheng a hug, patting him on the back. "Don''t worry. You''re not scared of your enemies, I''m not scared of them too. We can deal with those pesky bastards together, hm?"


    "...Okay." Qin Zicheng felt his heartbeat increase rapidly again and knew that the woman will be able to figure it out if he let her hug him any longer. Thus, he slowly removed her bear hug and coughed. "It''s getting late, go back inside. Your parents will say that I am a bad person for not returning you early."


    "Ao? I won''t let them say that about you, ge. I am the one who agreed to the outing. It was fun. Please do invite me next time.. Mr. Boyfriend." Xu Jiaqi smirked, giving a short and simple kiss to the taller man on the lips before turning around and leaving.


    "Will do.. Ms. Girlfriend." Qin Zicheng sighed as he felt that the kiss was too short, and that he wanted to deepen it, but couldn''t. Alas, he thought that he would have more opportunities in the future, so he rested the case.


    Time trickled by. Day by day, there would be a new update on Xu Jiaqi''s cleaning progress. The criminals that she caught were all prosecuted and put behind bars, and she made sure that they received the utmost punishment and pulled some strings behind the scene to make it near impossible for them to be released before their defined sentence.


    Unfortunately, she was unable to successfully catch Bai Mengxue''s father for good. Someone must have placed their hand into the matter as well. She started an investigation about who would be able to resist the influence of the Xu family, and even used the System''s help to identify the problem, but it was all for nothing.


    It was as if the one who did the job wasn''t even human. There were no traces, and no matter how hard she tried to question the suspect, the culprit was always anonymous. It made Xu Jiaqi wonder how Bai Mengxue was able to get such a powerful person on her side when she was supposed to be an innocent and meek girl.


    However, instead of brooding over it longer, she had a nobler purpose, and that was to better the company for her future self''s sake as well. When she inherited the company, she wouldn''t have as much time to clean up the trash. Her father was also like that. Although he loathed the leeches, cleaning up had the possibility to shake the entire foundation up and incur them with more losses than gains.


    Xu Jiaqi was the perfect assassin for the bugs since she had enough free time and skill to deal with them effectively. Xu Zheng naturally noticed his daughter''s momentums and repeatedly warned for her to be careful with her actions in case something happens.


    Xu Jiaqi: Heh, me and the System, we are the perfect pair. Who can harm us?


    Later, it turned out that there was indeed someone who could harm them.

 Chapter 32 - 1.29

    Months kept passing by.


    As Xu Jiaqi worked, Bai Mengxue was also struggling to get out of her dilemma and cast retribution back on the woman who she hated with a passion.


    She screamed inside her heart that this was all because of Xu Jiaqi. If it wasn''t for her, the relationship she had with Zhou Yuan would be smooth, and her father would''ve never gotten into trouble. She would''ve never had to get it on with her ''Tian ge''.


    Granted, this Tian ge was a powerful man who could give her what she wanted. However, since she was still in a relationship with Zhou Yuan, this meant that she was cheating on the man with every single dirty deed that she performed. However, this Tian ge did not only act uncaring towards the other man in the relationship, he actually took pleasure in the fact that he was defiling the woman of the one and only Zhou Yuan.


    It raised the competitive spirit inside him and made him feel like he just obtained victory since he stole the woman. Actually, he had lost quite the fair share of his interest towards this woman. When he first met her, Bai Mengxue stood out from the crowd and made him think that it would be fun to obtain the woman and destroy her inside out, make her admit that he subdued her.


    Yes, he had such poisonous thoughts when he pursued her. He worked in the underground section for so long, there was no longer any shred of innocence within his soul. All he wanted to do was conquer and gain more power. Pleasure. Worldly benefits.


    Obtaining Bai Mengxue in exchange for letting her father go was an exchange that he couldn''t miss out because of how simple the matter was to him. He enjoyed his reward with a great appetite, and even left Bai Mengxue fainted and inconvenienced for days after their extensive intimate actions.


    After he tasted her, he debated whether or not to end the agreement and sell her off, but he opted to keep her just out of spite for Zhou Yuan and to satisfy his inner devil.


    Tian ge''s full name was Hu Jingtian, a well known boss. His infamy spread everywhere to the point that not a single person in the underground business would be unaware of him. As powerful as he is, he had a lot of restrictions in society. Ever since he was little, the underground path was the only thing that was presented to him if he wanted to survive. Unlike others, he couldn''t simply jump into the clean society all of a sudden. His life was filled with criminal records, and those couldn''t be erased easily.


    Naturally, having been restricted like this since little, his mind grew twisted with each passing second and led him to develop to one of the greatest criminals who established his position in the area.


    This same man got a request from Bai Mengxue earlier after they had finished their passionate session. Bai Mengxue wanted him to get rid of Xu Jiaqi. It was a rather spontaneous request because she was reminded of Zhou Yuan when they were doing it. Xu Jiaqi, the catalyst of everything, made her angry and burst into tears as she accepted her sad fate right now.


    Her body was being thrown around the bed every time Hu Jingtian wanted it. She couldn''t refuse because she was heavily dependent on him, especially now that Zhou Yuan was starting to change for the ''worse'' and his assets were lessening. He was a disgusting man, but what other choices did she have when Zhou Yuan was unable to help?


    He was a very unstable man, and he had serious anger issues that once almost caused Bai Mengxue to suffer from internal injuries after getting beaten up by him.


    She bit her lips in vexation after thinking about those painful memories. She poured her heart out, wanting to make Hu Jingtian sympathize with her and take on the mission.


    "Tian ge, you must help me seek revenge, en?" Bai Mengxue latched on to Hu Jingtian''s body. She did not have any clothes on as they had just finished an intercourse. Her body was aching all over because of Hu Jingtian''s forceful and abusive treatments, but she bore all of it as she begged.


    However, instead of getting the reaction she desired, the man immediately threw her off and made her stagger backwards. "What revenge? You are talking about Xu Jiaqi, that big miss Xu, right?! She is affiliated with Qin Zicheng! You are dumb, but how can you be this retarded? Stupid bitch! Who on Earth would dare touch Qin Zicheng''s property if they didn''t want to get fucked? Scram!"


    He began raising his hand at the woman, punching and kicking her in the stomach.


    Hu Jingtian thought that this woman was delusional and disgusting, and it killed off his mood. He stood up to drink a bottle of wine and smoke dangerous substances to alleviate his anger.


    Bai Mengxue was trembling as she cowered down, her hatred rising once more as she winced in pain.


    ______


    - On Xu Jiaqi''s side


    [Host, the female lead is beyond salvation. I don''t know what she experienced ever since you provoked her, but all that''s on her mind is the thought of killing you. Nothing else, Host. Nothing else.] The System was starting to get worried.


    Even though Xu Jiaqi was in a powerful position, one couldn''t deny that a female lead was a miraculous being who could surpass all the normal pathways of thinking. It wouldn''t be a surprise if Bai Mengxue somehow found a way to kill Xu Jiaqi. If she was killed before Qin Zicheng''s favorability meter reached one hundred, wouldn''t it made her fail the mission?


    However, contrary to the System''s panic, Xu Jiaqi was actually rather calm.


    "Actually, isn''t this the perfect opportunity to solve everything in a flash? I don''t mind spending an entire lifetime, but to know that I have to keep my act for that long, and risking his favorability dropping as we get older isn''t really the best feeling ever. If I could just fish for the perfect chance to make everything wrapped up perfectly, then I will just die early. It will still count as having spent a lifetime with him, right? If I died." Xu Jiaqi stated with a controlled poise, as if she wasn''t talking about her own tragic death.


    Indeed, this made quite a bit of sense.


    Qin Zicheng''s favorability meter rested peacefully at 78. It was actually very high. After many months of getting to know Xu Jiaqi, Qin Zicheng was finally ready to propose to the woman.


    Once the proposal was done, and they got married, it was expected that Qin Zicheng''s favorability would rise again, getting her nearer to the goal.


    However, favorability points fluctuated. Just like how they can rise with high momentum, they can also drop with high momentum. If she slacked off on her acting, what if Qin Zicheng fell out of love? A higher risk of failing the mission.


    Xu Jiaqi: Yep, the solution is really to die early. Let''s look for methods to die and leave a lasting memory... A love interest that can never be forgotten.. Haha.

 Chapter 33 - 1.30

    "Is there a way for me to predict what Bai Mengxue will be doing ahead of time? I know that you don''t have any surveillance, but I want it to be more like a... investigation through communication devices, or something like that. Do you think you can track down this unknown backer''s number through Bai Mengxue and spy on them?"


    [...I will try. Cracking down the securities would be a hard task, but I should be able to do it since this is still a Tutorial World.] The System replied.


    Xu Jiaqi left the entity to his task as she proceeded to move in her own pace. Almost the entirety of the Xu business got cleaned up and had no more poisonous strikes inside them. Each individual was put to work by the System and tested for any strangeness. When he found an anomaly, it would be reported to Xu Jiaqi and taken care of by her legal team, supported by the fact that Xu Zheng himself had given permission for Xu Jiaqi to do what she wishes and wreak havoc.


    This made the people in the business circle think that Xu Zheng''s reign was about to be over, and the seat will be handed to Xu Jiaqi straight away. This would explain why Xu Jiaqi was on a roll trying to clean everything up without leaving anybody dirty unwashed.


    Murmurs and rumors started circulating around the entire place as they discussed what should be done on their own parts as well. A big company''s change affected the entire circle as a whole. If the Xu company wanted to make a great change, then the others needed to make adjustments to the movement.


    Everyone was heavily expectant on every single move coming from Xu Jiaqi, and a lot of eyes were constantly on her.


    Xu Jiaqi, on the other hand, was completely relaxed and calm. She knew that Xu Zheng did in fact, start to prepare the transfer of power to Xu Jiaqi ever since she proved that she was more than capable at handling the toxic bases in the circle. She was an expert at cleaning, and her father felt touched at her gestures.


    Thus, behind Xu Jiaqi''s back, Xu Zheng began to initialize putting Xu Jiaqi''s name in some of the projects that was set to be dormant at least for a year or so. He predicted that it would take less than a year for Xu Jiaqi to ascend and take his position, so he prepared ahead of time for the projects to be given to her. These movements were detected by the System and reported, so Xu Jiaqi was actually aware of all the things that was happening.


    Other than wanting to push Xu Jiaqi ahead, he was also motivated by the fact that he was growing older, and, mind this- he did not wish to work as hard anymore. Although he was the big boss, and that his working hours were determined by him, he no longer wished to stay at the damned company any longer and have to decrease the time he spent with his lovely wife who was waiting at home.


    He wanted to relieve his duties and stick to Li Jiayun, pamper her, love her, and do a lot of things before he passed away. He knew that a human''s lifetime was limited and that he would have to separate from this beloved wife of his one day, whether it was because of a natural or unnatural death.


    Thus, he wanted to treasure the time that they could be together as much as possible. He did not want for the time he had left to be wasted on the company.


    Since Xu Jiaqi was wiling to take the job, then he was more than happy to rescind his power and authority.


    Let the young ones take over the hard work.


    As Xu Jiaqi furthered her career, her relationship also got better and better.


    On a fateful night, when they had a date night , Qin Zicheng had actually been planning for a big surprise. After they finished dining, they talked for a while. Qin Zicheng drove them to a beautiful bridge, staring at the night sky as Qin Zicheng began to kneel and take out a ring box.


    There was a clear romantic innuendo clipped on the scene.


    Inside was an exquisite diamond ring that was exclusively crafted for Xu Jiaqi, so there was no other replicas of this in the world. It was made by a famous designer that was known to not accept any orders unless he wanted to, and the sweet couple happened to be his first customers after a long while.


    There were a pair of identical, yet intricately different jewelry. One had Xu Jiaqi''s name engraved on it, the other had Qin Zicheng''s name. They were meant to be exchanged and worn by the other, so the ring that was given to Xu Jiaqi had Qin Zicheng''s name on it.


    The other part of the pair? It had long been out. Qin Zicheng had been wearing this conspicuous ring out in the public throughout their entire date. Perhaps it was due to his excitement, the ring with Xu Jiaqi''s name was already snugly fitted on his ring finger.


    Qin Zicheng was bad at planning. Unless he meant for this to happen and he was just declaring that there was no was Xu Jiaqi would refuse, and the fact that he wore his ring proudly was a sign of his confidence.


    "Xu Jiaqi.. are you willing to accept this ring as proof of my love?" Qin Zicheng asked.


    "I don''t need rings. As long as Zicheng ge is with me.. I will be alright. Am I wrong?" Xu Jiaqi smiled sweetly as she took the ring from the box and gave it to Qin Zicheng, gesturing for him to put it on her finger.


    Qin Zicheng was ecstatic as he slid the gorgeous accessory down to Xu Jiaqi''s ring finger, his breath shaky as he was overwhelmed with emotions.


    The funny thing was, Xu Jiaqi had also planned for a tease for this moment. Since she knew from her System that Qin Zicheng would soon propose, she had prepared her own set of rings to do a double proposal.


    After Qin Zicheng got up, it was Xu Jiaqi''s turn to get down, and proposed to him as well. Qin Zicheng was taken aback, yet amused. He hurriedly accepted the offer and supported Xu Jiaqi back up, sealing their promises with a loving, passionate kiss.


    Further closure was done.


    Then, on an auspicious date calculated by a Chinese fortune expert, Xu Jiaqi and Qin Zicheng''s marriage was set to be held.


    Xu Jiaqi: Soon, everything will be over.

 Chapter 34 - 1.31

    "How are you feeling, dear?" Li Jiayun softly combed through Xu Jiaqi''s hair. It was rare for the mother that the late Xu Jiaqi knew as a tigress mom to do this kind of gentle action. The strong woman who she always saw as a model figure, but was never able to relate to when she was still inside the body.


    Li Jiayun was standing behind Xu Jiaqi, as both of their eyes panned to the mirror. Through their reflection, they locked eyes. Li Jiayun''s gaze softened as she hummed a lullaby that she memorized by heart. This was her child. The bride that was about to be wedded.


    In truth, Li Jiayun loved Xu Jiaqi perhaps even more than Xu Zheng. If Xu Zheng loved his daughter because she was the offspring created between him and his beloved wife, then Li Jiayun''s love had nothing to do with Xu Zheng. Instead, she treasured her daughter, the one she had carried for nine months, bearing painstaking troubles as she was faced with countless trials.


    Her pregnancy was extremely hard, and there were so many times when Xu Zheng always spoke words of regret to her. That if only they did not try to have the child, Li Jiayun would not have to suffer. But to those words, Li Jiayun could only feel nothing but pain.


    What use was all of her strength, everything that she cultivated up to this point? Her late parents that taught her everything that she began to improve upon and polish, where were they?


    She was hospitalised here and there, and almost felt like giving birth to Xu Jiaqi really was not fated. However, despite all of that, she wanted to try and persevere, to see until the end. The baby she first saw in the ultrasound pictures were not at all clear. It just vaguely resembled a baby, but her heart was already shaken.


    She carried a life inside of her. One that would resemble her parents and be the pearl of their lives.


    It wasn''t until the actual labor day and the hours leading up to it did she experience actual hell. All the months of pain that led up to this were actually not that bad compared to the splitting pain that she experienced after her water broke. The contractions, the efforts, and all of it spiked up, until she finally won her battle and gave birth to a healthy baby girl that she named Xu Jiaqi under the consultation of many.


    The baby was taken away from her shortly after she gave birth to undergo proper medical procedures. After she woke up, she asked for the baby, and the nurse brought her after she confirmed that all the conditions were checked off.


    Her tired eyes landed on the baby''s small stature.


    Pretty. Even as a baby, she was this pretty, lovable, and cute. Immediately, she forgot about all of her pain in a flash, although her body still screamed terror.


    She smiled, her face blooming into a cheerful expression for the first time in a while. She did not know when was the last time she was able to smile as genuine as this, but this time, she truly felt successful. Much more than all of her experiences in life, her achievements, her career, everything.


    ''This baby girl will grow up to be the best. So many people will flock to her, some with positive intentions, and the other bringing negative thoughts. I must protect her. She must learn to protect herself for when I am gone to the afterlife.''


    Those thoughts circulated inside her mind and bloomed into the training regime that she instilled into Xu Jiaqi as the child grew older and older. Her days were limited, but she wanted her daughter to be able to live on in peace, without troubles, and be able to fend for herself. She couldn''t stay and protect her forever, so she wanted her teachings to be the replacement for the role of a ''protector'' in Xu Jiaqi''s life.


    Xu Jiaqi would have nothing but the best of the best. That was the resolution that Li Jiayun made for her own daughter, who was now sitting in front of her looking just as beautiful as she once envisioned her to be when she was just a growing child, maybe even more.


    And it was true.


    The bride in front of her was the most beautiful person she had ever seen. Her own daughter.


    Delicate makeup decorated the natural beauty''s face, her hair was styled into a braided bun clipped with silver lead accessories, and her wedding dress was still on the mannequin, ready to be worn after the styling was finished. The wedding dress had been prepared by the Old Madam Qin who asked Xu Jiaqi and Li Jiayun out to pick the dress from a famous designer who specialized in iconic wedding dresses.


    The dress that they ended up with was breathtaking, and it would complete Xu Jiaqi''s look for today, turning her into a peerless beauty that no one would be able to compete with. This was her day to shine.


    Her marriage with Qin Zicheng, it was going to be finalized and celebrated today. This would be the day that they recognize as the anniversary from here on out.


    This was supposed to be a joyous and happy day, where only those who were close and trusted by the couple would be invited. The wedding was not the grandest, but it sent all the spotlight towards the couple''s way as it should.


    Xu Jiaqi got into the dress, and everybody who was in the room immediately lighted up. The beauty was too mesmerizing that they couldn''t take their eyes off of her.


    As Xu Jiaqi walked with grace towards the venue, she was internally counting her time with the System.


    Because today, was not only going to be her wedding day, but it might be a day stained with blood.


    Xu Jiaqi: It''s time to settle all accounts, place your bets on who will win this silly game.

 Chapter 35 - 1.32

    Xu Jiaqi walked from the backstage and up to the door of the venue where the wedding was held. Qin Zicheng would already be waiting inside from his bride, the one who came down to him like a meteor and burst his heart open from his past closed off self.


    Qin Zicheng thought to himself. Xu Jiaqi often mentioned that he was completely unlike all the rumors that had been scattering about in the society about him and his temperament. Sure, he was rather cold, but he was a passionate man who responded to Xu Jiaqi with nothing but love and affection, as if he was completely blinded by the siren that is Xu Jiaqi and was willing to be led around like a stray pirate.


    To this, Qin Zicheng actually did not dare say that the rumors were probably true. Those who had encountered him without the presence of Xu Jiaqi would not find the lovable side of him, but rather an indifferent young man who just strove for perfection. Only Xu Jiaqi was able to change this dynamic of his, which made the Old Madam Qin who was happily watching over his son stand on the beautiful flowery arch erected for the path to making their vows.


    Tears almost welled up in everyone who was concerned in the wedding heavily. Both of Xu Jiaqi and Qin Zicheng''s parents, some of their close friends, and the overall venue as a whole that had a serene feeling to it instead of a merry celebration. The total of people who attended the wedding did not even amount to more than thirty apart from the staffs that were employed to set the whole thing up.


    It was quiet and daunting, as if the marriage was a sacred ceremony that would bind the two people in question for longer than a lifetime.


    Li Jiayun entered first through the big door. Her appearance was also gorgeous, but subtle. For her looks, one would think that she could be a decade or two younger than her actual age. She walked on the red carpet strewn over the narrow path leading to the stage, but did not pass the arch where Qin Zicheng was waiting at. Instead, she made a turn and went to sit in the table where Old Master and Madam Qin were already seated. They had entered in the same way before Xu Jiaqi arrived at the scene.


    Behind the door, there was still Xu Zheng and Xu Jiaqi left.


    "Do you want to wait a little longer? If you feel unready, just speak up. No one will force you, and the event''s order doesn''t really matter. Any form of embarrassment won''t matter here, you are secure," Xu Zheng spoke as he soothed Xu Jiaqi.


    Little did her know, Xu Jiaqi was very calm, the calmest that she had ever been. This day had been specially prepared by her, and failure was unlikely.


    "No, father. Let''s step inside. I love you and mother very much, thank you for letting me be born to this world, for letting me reach this height in life. Thank you," Xu Jiaqi confessed, because she knew that this would probably be the last time she spoke with her father from this world.


    [Host, the firearm that I warned you... Bai Mengxue is getting nearer, and her bloodlust is off the charts. Host? Host! Why are you not responding? Are you really planning to die? Host, this isn''t like what you said last night when I reported to you! Host!!] System called to out to her repeatedly, but Xu Jiaqi kept her unfettered, serene expression as she walked up to Qin Zicheng, knowing that danger was lurking behind her.


    A beautiful and confident smile was painted on her face, making it feel like the world revolved around her.


    The door opened, and the two walked hand in hand, receiving applauses from the audience at the bride''s reveal. Everybody looked in awe and astonishment as Xu Jiaqi served them the looks that she brought to the plate. Her elegant walk continued until she travelled over half of the carpet''s length.


    Because before she was able to reach the arch, reach Qin Zicheng, a surprise awaited her.


    Bang!


    A loud gunshot rang out out of nowhere, shocking everybody.


    Bai Mengxue was Bai Mengxue. The wedding''s security was supposed to be tight, but she somehow found her way into the situation and was able to even bring firearms. Truly Godly plot armor.


    Xu Jiaqi felt a bullet go through her back and pierce her heart. Her special acting had been prepared for this, so she collapsed to the floor realistically, making Qin Zicheng grow mad with anxiety as he ran towards Xu Jiaqi''s way and supported her limping body.


    A familiar woman''s figure entered the venue.


    "Hmm, hmm, hmm~ Who is this... The Big Miss Xu, died under the hands of someone like me? AHAHAHAHHAHA! It''s actually.. it''s actually this easy to take someone''s life. A few more bullets would do the trick for real, right? It''s good that I actually suffered with that shitty guy.. That bastard, that filthy man! It''s all because of you... IT''S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!! XU JIAQI, YOU BITCH! DIE!" Bai Mengxue crazily screamed and pointed her gun at Xu Jiaqi again, shooting a total of five times and emptying her barrels.


    Her maniacal laughter still ensued even after her hand was shot at by Kevin, and she was detained by the guards. Everyone was at shock, no one knew how to react.


    The pristine white dress that was worn by Xu Jiaqi was dyed a bloody red as she collapsed down to the ground, a bullet lodged deep into her skin. Bai Mengxue was pushed to this extent, who can she blame except for herself? it''s just that instead of trying to protect herself, she was fully acceptive of it and even used it as a gimmick to finish her missions.


    See, the Qin Zicheng, the proud wolf that was supposed to be an overpowered helper of Bai Mengxue in the original story actually had his favorability sitting at 95 and was willing to sacrifice his life for her.


    Xu Jiaqi: Who is the winner in this case?

 Chapter 36 - 1.33

    Qin Zicheng shielded both of them from the rest of Bai Mengxue''s shots. Even though he was able to avoid four out of five bullets, one still ended up lodging itself on his shoulder, making him wince in pain a little.


    He did not care about the pain. It wasn''t his first time getting shot by a gun, but he was much more flustered by Xu Jiaqi''s condition. The woman who had a lively and fiery personality was looking pale and so fragile right now.


    Qin Zicheng shouted for his men to call up medical attention this instant, but nobody expected for this kind of thing to happen especially since it was a rather private event. The place they were in was quite far from the city, so getting the medics would prove to be even harder.


    "Zicheng ge.. It''s useless. i am not going to survive this.. Wait, no. That''s not right. If I survive this, wouldn''t I be known as the strongest human alive? That would be great, that would be great, I have to think positive, but.. Akh!" Xu Jiaqi coughed a mouthful of blood as she slwoly found it to be harder and harder to breathe in an out smoothly.


    "Don''t talk! Qiqi, please, don''t talk. Wait until you heal, I will listen to you all day. You can talk to me about anything you want. But not now, my love. Not now. I beg you." Qin Zicheng hurriedly consoled the woman and supported her.


    Was she going to listen? No.


    "My life.. i can feel it draining away, Zicheng ge. I don''t know how it turned out to be like this.. Maybe it''s fate." Xu Jiaqi laughed as she felt a bitter feeling arise in her heart somehow. She premeditated this, so she shouldn''t be feeling anything at all, but all of the drama must have gotten into her. Her acting was too real.


    "No. I won''t let fate take you away from me. Not fate. Not even the Gods, I won''t let them do this to us! Jiaqi, Jiaqi. Stay strong. Help is coming. The people told me to not shake you as much, so lay on my legs without moving, okay? You shouldn''t try to get up, it will only worsen your-"


    Instead of listening to the man, Xu Jiaqi forcefully got up, then gently stroked his face. She leaned forward with all the strength she had in her left and left a feathery kiss on the man, further deepening said action and sealing their lips together.


    However, unlike the previous times the woman kissed him, Qin Zicheng was unable to feel completely happy. The woman was not supposed to move, but she was longingly looking at him. There was an understanding between them. A painful fact shared between their minds.


    She wouldn''t survive. But he wanted to deny the truth.


    He was still as Xu Jiaqi kept feeling him for the last time, tears forming and streaming down her cheeks as her weak hands latched on to Qin Zicheng and hugged him.


    "That kiss.. we are now, husbands and wife.. A couple not separated by wealth, sickness, or.. life and death. Right.. Qin Zicheng.. My husband." Xu Jiaqi uttered as she finally felt her last breath coming up. She closed her eyes and let her life fleet away.


    One second turned into a minute, and just like that, Xu Jiaqi was gone from the world. Her soul was extracted by the System and her vision turned into spectator mode. She was still able to see Qin Zicheng as she floated above the scene, but no one would be able to see her anymore. She saw her parents dumbfounded by the side.


    Her mother was kneeling on the ground with a dazed face, as if she couldn''t believe this entire scene. Xu Zheng was no better, he kept muttering her name as he also squatted near the woman.


    Just now, he was holding his daughter''s hand, ready to deliver him to her soon to be husband. The one he finally agreed to accept as his son in law. The one that he made sure truly loved his daughter to death and wouldn''t fail her.


    And indeed, Qin Zicheng would never fail her.


    The same couldn''t be said for the rest of the world, however.


    Her daughter, the one he protected for so many years alongside with his wife was stolen just like that, how was he supposed to stay calm?


    "Qiqi.. Jiaqi, Xu Jiaqi, stop playing around, don''t play dead like this. You have to rest down, you can kiss and touch me later, but you should.." Qin Zicheng spoke with a broken voice as he removed the woman''s body from the hug they shared and laid her down.


    Xu Jiaqi was already ''resting'', and she looked extremely peaceful with her departure.


    "Jia.. qi, don''t do this to me..." Qin Zicheng''s whole body was trembling as he held the woman''s lithe hands. They were hands that he loved, ones that he held a lot of times during their interactions, ones that he had kissed to court her, ones that used to stroke his hair gently. The woman loved his features a lot, so she would frequently ask to feel them, giving the excuse that it made her feel closer to him and get to know him better.


    He let her do it, because he loved her. Even though he actually did not like to be touched around his head area.


    Like all the previous times, Xu Jiaqi had caressed him before she left. Like it was a parting gift, a well needed last chance for them to be intimate.


    One in a wedding dress, the other in a tuxedo suit. Ready for their union.


    What was supposed to be a blissful day turned bloody because of a sick woman who wrecked everything.


    After so long, he had finally found the woman who could shake her heart.


    But fate did not allow them to be together.


    Hatred filled his heart.

 Chapter 37 - 1.34

    The world stole her from him. Right before they were going to be united as a married couple, Xu Jiaqi''s life was taken away from her.


    He fell into despair, and the surrounding people who once buzzed over the incident couldn''t help but grow silent as well, not wanting to say a single word to the man.


    Help came after a few minutes, and that was already a fast time, but what use was there? The woman''s life was gone.


    Her pulse was unable to be felt, and she no longer breathed. On her face was a serene smile that seemed to depict a happy end, but what about him? What about him, who was left on this world with this scar?


    How was he supposed to live after the one he was obsessed with, the Xu Jiaqi who accepted his obsession fully, left him so early into their lives?


    Xu Jiaqi was dead.  With it, Qin Zicheng also ''died''.


    In the end, the man did not budge at all. Xu Jiaqi''s parents recovered after a long time, and they grieved together. Li Jiayun was the most affected. Her prized daughter that she wanted to be strong so that she could protect herself was taken down like this, but who on Earth could have predicted that this kind of thing would happen?


    However, before they would even be able to repay the culprit with vengeance, someone would beat their turn by a thousand miles. And that certain someone was of course, Qin Zicheng.


    Bai Mengxue, Zhou Yuan, and Hu Jingtian were all caught and destroyed after being tortured over extended periods of time. Qin Zicheng was very brutal in his moves, he spared no one out of their cliques and cleaned up everything until there would no longer be traces of those people''s lives. The law could not touch him when he was serious.


    He spent so many days personally harming the trio that led to the destruction of Xu Jiaqi''s life. If it wasn''t for them, Xu Jiaqi wouldn''t have to die. He investigated the story, and it turned out that everything started from this vile woman''s pointless jealousy. Because of her. She was the one who got jealous, became envious, and later blamed Xu Jiaqi for everything. Even though she was the one to start it all.


    Wasn''t it selfish? It was. Very selfish.


    Qin ZIcheng''s hands were stained with blood, but it didn''t quench his anger.


    He took care of the Xu company and created a joint cooperation with his own. It was a very big move. Linking the Xu and the Qin company. Xu Zheng approved of this because he was also tired and no longer had the spirit to deal with the company after suffering a heavy blow from Xu Jiaqi''s death. He trusted Qin Zicheng after seeing how hard the man protected his daughter.


    Qin Zicheng''s purpose to take in the Xu''s work was because he was the firsthand spectator of how Xu Jiaqi aggressively cleaned the company up. To him, the company must be something that she wanted and treasured, so he would naturally also take charge of it in her stead.


    Qin ZIcheng never fully let go of his grief.


    Not even time could heal his heart.


    Everybody told him that it was best for him to forget about the hideous event that day, but how could he do that?


    Forget about Xu Jiaqi?


    The silhouette of the charming woman that he held within his arms as she passed away was fully imprinted within his heart, leading him to not be able to move on and lend his heart no another. To this fact, Old Madam Qin was rather displeased at first, but it wasn''t like she couldn''t understand.


    Since Qin Zicheng was a child, he had never known a thing called ''romance''. He was able to manipulate emotions like an expert, but he couldn''t comprehend what was love.


    Xu Jiaqi changed this, but no other person could replicate even a single dot of Xu Jiaqi''s aura, the very thing that plucked his heartstrings.


    Xu Jiaqi was buried in a special sanctuary that Qin Zicheng created for the woman.


    In his eyes, Xu Jiaqi was never dead. She was only sleeping. She told him that she was tired before she closed her eyes.


    The woman was only sleeping, recovering, and biding her energy until the time was right and she could rise back up.


    Until that time, he would wait patiently beside her. Visit her everyday, take care of her, sleep beside her, love her forever.


    If he had known that love was this kind of constricting emotion..


    No. He would willingly jump back into the hellhole that is falling in love with Xu Jiaqi. It was as if his very soul asked for it.


    True love is blind just like that.


    He knew how bad his state has become, but he never regretted it. Xu Jiaqi''s impact on himself was that bad, and even he couldn''t begin to state the first thing that made him fall in love with her.


    Perhaps, Xu Jiaqi was a witch that cast a love spell over him. That was why she was able to stay on his mind for so long even though all these years have passed.


    All that he knew was that he was blind. Blinded by love, by the Xu Jiaqi that would be eternally preserved and taken care of under his hands.


    Today, he came to the sanctuary like he always did. For decades, he never missed a single day of visiting Xu Jiaqi''s resting place. The place was very cold in order to maintain Xu Jiaqi''s preserved corpse, but Qin Zicheng was so used to the cold sensation that it did not bother him at all.


    He sat down beside the transparent casket which was attached to a machine that Qin Zicheng searched for all around the world for someone to make it for him.


    "Qiqi.. I have grown old. I have waited for so many years, and I also became tired.. May I sleep beside you? Let''s wake up together one day.." Qin Zicheng''s youth was no longer in place.


    Wrinkles formed all around his face and body, and his hair had already became white. He was an old man without an heir to continue his legacy.


    The Qin company had long been given to a person that Qin Zicheng had prepared long ago. Before he met Xu Jiaqi, he was already planning to grow old and die alone, so he took care of an adoptive child for him to nurture and one day give his legacy to.


    This decision was at first denied by the people when he revealed the child''s existence, but since Qin Zicheng protected this child, and he showed his skills, the loud mouths were silenced bit by bit.


    "I have taken care of everything.. I left it neat. Aren''t I such a good man? Qiqi.. I want to hear your voice one last time. One last time.. Just once," Qin Zicheng came here for one reason. It was because he already felt like his body was dying, and knew that his end was near.


    Thus, he came back here to meet his loved one. To ''rest'' beside her.


    "Qiqi.. Let me rest with you. I''m sorry for not following you right after you went away,"


    It was only when he was also at the death''s doorstep that he finally admitted that Xu Jiaqi was gone.. There was no longer a need to keep up the facade that he had maintained for so long, the lies he fed himself in order for him to not break down entirely.

 Chapter 38 - 1.35

    That day was Qin Zicheng''s last day on Earth, a man that would be well missed by his subordinates that could only recall the glorious days when their boss was so valiant in his actions. His momentum shook the Earth everywhere he went.


    This trait retained even after Xu Jiaqi''s death, but it was as if something within the man snapped. He was never the same. No one ever questioned the change because they all respected what the man had gone through and understood how much of an impact it brought to him. Thus, Qin Zicheng still commanded his underlings to stir the world with his actions, but he never had a great ambition.


    His wish was only to preserve what Xu Jiaqi loved, and prove to her that he was capable of maintaining the legacy that she had left behind. The Qin company was just like an additional thing to him, a complete opposite of him in the past. He now focused more on the Xu company despite his bloodline surfacing from the Qins.


    All because of a single woman''s legacy. A dead woman''s lingering presence.


    Everybody thought that it was quite a shame how Qin Zicheng turned out. He had ruined himself because he was enraptured with a woman.


    He was therefore buried beside Xu Jiaqi, forever resting in peace. There was no longer suffering haunting the man.


    His story became both famous for a good and bad reason. People saw Qin Zicheng and Xu Jiaqi''s love story, which had actually rose to fame after being publicized, as an honorable model of how deep love can be. On the other hand, they were also used as a prime example to remind people that they should not act rash like the man and think in a rational way.


    Xu Jiaqi observed the last bits of the world''s ending with mirth in her eyes. Zhou Yuan and Bai Mengxue both got removed. Qin Zicheng grew old and passed away with unresolved anguish and countless torment harming him for years. Xu Jiaqi did not support Zhou Yuan at all and died early, but she was supposed to die early in the original story as well, only in a much more heinous way than the current outcome.


    "The story.. Is completely destroyed, right? The ending I brought is probably not the one that you guys desire, but what else can I do? I like doing it this way. Haha." Xu Jiaqi dryly laughed as she stretched her body, which was restored in the System space.


    Her appearance stayed the same in this tutorial world. but the System had told her that both her looks and name might change in the future and that it is best if she starts to learn how to get accustomed to her new identities fast.


    She did not need such a thing because she was an expert author, and thus could easily resolve that sort of trouble.


    The problem she worried about was the grading system. She passed the missions in her way. In her eyes, the missions should be completed. She followed the criteria it gave. However, it couldn''t be ignored that she did destroy the original fate completely and indirectly killed off the important leads. She wondered if those facts would affect the grade she got, and ended up biting her nails as she waited for the Sytem to process her records and give a suitable grade derived from the Main System.


    "It should be fine.. it should be fine. If it''s not fine, then it''s not my fault anyway, it''s the System''s fault for not appreciating my way of doing things." Xu Jiaqi brainwashed herself.


    She had to wait a couple minutes before the System popped back out with a ''Ding!'' sound. At the same time, several windows dropped down in front of Xu Jiaqi''s face. Text were written on it.


    Xu Jiaqi read the text with interest in her eyes. To be exact, the line that specified her grade.


    [Grade: SS+]


    "Grade.. SS+!! Maximum! Is that maximum, System?" Xu Jiaqi said. Although she herself did not believe that she could make a failure happen, she did worry about her first grade since she didn''t know the gauge of the System''s grading notes.


    She was satisfied. SS+ grade sounded exceptionally high.


    [It is indeed maximum. I told you that the tutorial world will be significantly easier and that it would be fine if you just ran amok here if it''s under a certain bar, right? Thus, your score will still be this high despite the things you did. However, this same fact can''t apply to future cases. Host, please get used to solving things as a normal agent should.]


    "Normal is boring. Haven''t you heard, System? In order to achieve happiness in life, one must step out of their comfort zone and wreak havoc in the world. It''s a great saying, meaning you should bring change." Xu Jiaqi retorted.


    [You made that up on the spot, Host. Also, even if it was true, the change they are talking about doesn''t mean the death of two main leads, right?]


    "It does, it does. Now, there should be rewards, right? Let''s not talk about the little matters anymore, I want to see my rewards!" Xu Jiaqi exclaimed.


    [Here you go, Host. I will be able to receive an update from the Main System, and this would increase your authority in the future. As for you, Host, you will be able to receive this.] The System dropped down an item from the System space''s sky, and Xu Jiaqi caught it in her hands.


    Her eyes scanned the item with great interest as she hummed and stroked the object. It was a fan with intricate flowery embroideries embedded into it, creating an elegant sense to whoever wore it.


    [Ding! Obtained the Qiyue Fan.]


    "Qiyue Fan? Fancy name." Xu Jiaqi said as she clicked on the windows to view the item in depth.


    [Qiyue Fan <Trial>


    -This fan is the remnants of a past Lesser Wind Goddess who fell in love with a mortal, and wanted to give the mortal powers to defend themselves. A lesser version of the original artifact. Use this fan to summon a huge blade of wind that will heed your call.. This fan can be used for a total of three times and has limitations in specific situations.]

 Chapter 39 - 1.36

    "This.. Could be pretty useful, but can I use it in the modern world? This screams fantasy." Xu Jiaqi said as she flipped the fan open and closed it repeatedly.


    [It depends on the world''s settings. I will inform you if it is eligible to be used once we enter the world. As long as not much people see it, and the world doesn''t clamor over it, it should generally be fine.] The System spoke.


    Then, Xu Jiaqi began to wait for other notifications to greet her as she admired the details on the fan.


    One second. Five. Thirty. A minute had passed.


    The System still didn''t say anything else.


    Xu Jiaqi raised her brow.


    "..The System sure is quite stingy. There are no other rewards?" The corner of her lips twitched. Although she believed that great rewards can only come from taking great risks and efforts, to which she did not necessarily have to put a great deal of care to the tutorial world, it was called a ''tutorial''.


    Tutorials usually came with newbie packages and all those perks, right? Where were they?


    [There is, but it''s in relation with your wish. You didn''t get a placement point because it''s a Tutorial World. Instead, you unlocked the Wish Bar. After you pass a world, you will be given orbs that vary according to the grade you got. If you passed with flying colors, then you might be able to get a full orb or more. If you pass with bare minimum grades, then you might only be able to get one fragment or said orb. The amount of orbs also vary according to the world level, but tutorial worlds are classified as Null- meaning that you can''t extract any orbs out of it.] The System diligently explained.


    "That kind of thing is exactly what you should be saying to me!" Xu Jiaqi protested. "Where is this wish bar?"


    [You can check it in your agent profile. There will be a bar positioned on top of your health statistics. This bar can be filled as you collect the orbs from different worlds. As you can see, it is resting at the perilous number of 0 right now.. Did I need to tell you about this saddening matter?]


    "...Well, no."


    It was indeed sort of depressing.


    [Well then, Host can choose to have a vacation. The maximum time permitted by the Main System is a total of 7 days. In this period of time, you are allowed to roam the System space and do whatever you want. You are able to manipulate the system''s interior to your liking by imagining your desired outcome inside your head. Other than the creation of living things, you are free to execute whatever you wish.]


    "Hm? So, for a total of 7 days, you''re telling me that I will be able to laze around and live a fulfilled life.. That doesn''t sound to bad, but I don''t think I need 7 days. Can I save the vacation time?"


    [Yes, you can. You may specify how many days you want to take off.]


    "Then give me one day of rest. I didn''t do much in the last world, so I''m not tired." Xu Jiaqi answered listlessly as she began to visualize her space, making it into a comfortable location for her to spend a day before she had to jump into another world.


    "While you''re at it, is it possible to send me the next world''s scenario ahead of time?"


    [Unfortunately, no. However, I can tell you that it is going to be a C-ranked world. Your authority is not enough to unlock the story ahead of time. If you gain sufficient authority, you can even begin to select which plot you want to stay in.]


    "Great, thanks! You can go back now, I''ll just have a nap." Xu Jiaqi didn''t expect for her perks to be that grand too since she was just starting out. She readily accepted the outcome and fell asleep on the king sized bed she created.


    The System retreated, focusing on fixing what were the remnants of Xu Jiaqi''s trip so that the previous world could sort itself out and not cause any problems later on.


    In her sleep, Xu Jiaqi had a dream.


    It did not display a clear picture. She heard voices, voices that sounded so familiar to her. It stirred her heart, and made her uncomfortable.


    -Xu Jiaqi, you damned bitch! This kind of thing is not allowed. You are going to break the entire world apart! You don''t know the weight of your actions!


    -What are you saying? All those years of suffering that I experienced under you bastards, do you expect me to just stay still after I have gained power to retaliate? When you killed my man, can you say that you did it for a good reason? Did he ask you to spare their lives? Despite that.. Did you let him go? Obviously, not. If he was still alive, I wouldn''t be here exterminating bugs like you. If you want to look for someone to blame, then blame yourselves for not knowing who you can and can''t offend.


    -Xu Jiaqi.. You shall be cursed. Blood will be repaid by blood. You have killed without bounds just to take revenge for one. Your karma will be sullied to the point of no return! In the future, don''t expect to get a happy ending! No matter where you are.. no matter what you do, your sins will haunt you down, your deeds will chain you up!


    -I appreciate the prayers. Now, could you shut up and die? Thank you.


    The audio unfurled like that. She heard her own voice talking to a person screaming on top of their lungs in despair. After the short exchange was made, her dream was cut short.


    She fell into a void, a bottomless void that seemed to suck her in. It made her scared. She was endlessly falling without an end to be seen.


    Luckily, after a few minutes of falling, her sleep finally ended and she woke up in her System space, with no signs of anomalies.


    Still, her heart was shaken.

 Chapter 40 - 2.1

    "..That was a strange dream." Xu Jiaqi rubbed the sides of her head as she turned to look around her space. She placed her hand on top of her chest and found out that her heart was beating terribly fast.


    Was the feeling she encountered ''fear''? Why did she fear the dialogues that she heard inside a mere dream? How could it be that her, someone who had never feared anything in her life, be shaken with just this simple exchange of words?


    Xu Jiaqi felt like something was wrong with her, and ended up convincing herself that it was the result of having traversed through the realms and not being used to it- thus making her emotional levels spike up and make her misunderstand.


    Yes, she denied it. Completely. Because something in her told her that she should not pay more attention to the scene, lest she get sucked into a bad predicament. She had a bad feeling.


    Nonetheless, she tried her hardest to erase the conflicting thoughts budding inside her head and called for the System to attend to her.


    "System, come and ready me up for the next transfer." Xu Jiaqi ordered as she let out a huge sigh. "I want to go to the next world as soon as possible."


    Her mood as not ideal.


    Before the thoughts were able to consume her any further, she wanted to jump straight into the next world and let her attention be placed on that. She wanted to bury herself in work.


    The mechanical creature popped up in the form of a light ball floating in the space and cheerily spoke. Unlike before, where Xu Jiaqi felt like its emotions were being restricted by a lot, it seemed more natural this time.


    [Yes, Host! Receiving permission to start the second transfer.. Permission received. Initializing agent Host, making sure that no anomalies get past.. 9%, 51%, 78%, 100%. Initialization complete. Starting up transfer!]


    "Why do you seem so.. excited?" Xu Jiaqi''s brow twitched as the System made a happy face


    [The System received an update, which will increase our authority and unlock certain System features ^_^]


    "I assume that.. Haah, that emoticon is the result of you upgrading yourself?"


    [Yes, Host! O^O]


    "Go bury yourself ten feet deep. What an embarrassment."


    [S-System also likes the cruel and cold Host, who secretly is warm in the inside! T^T]


    "Can you turn off the emoticon function? Or at least, lessen the use of it? My eyes are sullied. Do I have to see emotes pop up in front of me every time we speak?" Xu Jiaqi hasn''t even recovered from her migraine yet, and this System was giving her another trouble.


    [The function can be disabled, Host, but must you do this to me? The System is weak hearted, wuwuwu! Crying for justice!]


    "Turn it off. Right now. Off." Xu Jiaqi spoke with a rough tone.


    Xu Jiaqi''s voice was so cold that the System shut himself down and didn''t speak anymore, starting to focus solely on his job. His Host was certainly not in the best mood, so he did not want to risk his wellbeing in trying to meddle with her.


    Because of the System''s diligent procedure, in just a few minutes, she was immediately transferred to another world. The familiar warping sensation overcame her body, making her suffer a terrible headache that was hard to get used to.


    Right after waking up in another person''s body, she was immediately greeted by a mellow voice filled with hesitance.


    "Lady Ariel.. The Lord.. Your father wants to see you."


    It was a woman donned in maid clothing. Her expression was a little scrunched up, having been distressed.


    Xu Jiaqi''s sharp eyes swept across the room, and took in the sight of the furniture and setting.


    It was rather grand.  It made her predict that her current world also gave her a high standing right from the start.


    However, she also felt like her body was extremely heavy, like something was restraining her and making it hard for her to move. A plaguing disease.


    She stilled for a minute. Memories slowly jammed itself into her brain, and made her migraine ridden head hurt even more.


    After roughly deciphering the pieces of information, she replied to the maid weakly. Her throat was sore, and her body was in pain. Something was clearly off.


    If she was indeed of a rightful high pedigree, then she shouldn''t be feeling this bad, like each part of her body was splitting apart. There should be treatment given to her. Her memories also began to reveal the harsh treatment that the original body had suffered under. Her eyes narrowed.


    She took a glance inside her layers of clothing and found what seemed to be marks of abuse. Her eyes grew cold, as memories continued to transfer itself inside her brain. Years of memories, most of it containing piles of suffering and anguish.


    Her body was young, but there were already old scars formed on her supple skin- indicating traces of bad treatment from years ago.


    Feeling stressed, Xu Jiaqi calmed herself down. She needed some time to arrange her mind, but how would she get that?


    ''A bath.''


    First, she had to respond to the maid.


    "..Father. Is that so? Then, ready me up this instant." Xu Jiaqi coldly said with a languid voice. This was the original character''s personality from what she had seen. An emotionless crystal flower detained by her cruel fate. A robotic figure that was unable to feel after being afflicted with so many bloody memories.


    The System seemed to be offline for this moment, which she assumed to be due to his work in setting the world up for her arrival like the previous round. In order to form a resolution, she needed the plot to know who she was going to face or use to her advantage.


    The maid that she spoke to nodded her head and started carrying Xu Jiaqi in princess style.


    "Please excuse me." she said.


    The maid seemed unbothered, so this action must have been done a lot.


    She was carried to the bathroom, where she was cleaned and dressed up in plain clothing. She was then once more carried downstairs to the dining room, where a couple of grim individuals were sitting by a long table with food served on top.


    Readying up using her servant''s intensive care bought her time to sort out her memories, so she more or less had an idea of where she was even before the System gave her the world''s storyline.


    She knew one thing that was sure.


    Out of the individuals that she was about to face, none of them had affection towards this body she resided in.

 Chapter 41 - 2.2

    There were five heads.


    First, the Duke. From her memories, this man in the middle of it all was the Duke, this body''s biological father.


    The other people were her step mother, two half brothers, and a half sister.


    Her birth mother wasn''t there. She was buried six feet under the ground years ago upon this body''s birth being discovered.


    In other words- her current body was not someone part of the legal family, she was an illegitimate child who had no place in this complete family. She was a noble, but she wasn''t treated as such, only given the bare minimum to satisfy the law.


    The law dictated that it was illegal to kill a noble or act with disrespect towards them. It sounded authoritative, but nothing could describe how much this body felt grateful towards that law. It could be said that the body''s survival was dependent on the law.


    No matter if it was part of the legitimate or illegitimate side, killing a noble would warranty a grand punishment. Thus, Ariel- this body''s name, was left alive, but lived in seclusion and bad treatment for all these years after being born into the world. She was given servants, but only one truly served her not because of the money, but because of sympathy and a deep rooted relationship.


    She was the servant that carried ''Ariel'' just now. Her name was Lily, and she was not only a maid of the Maine Dukedom, but also a former close friend of her late mother. When Ariel''s mother Maria gave birth to her, the one who acted as her nanny was precisely this maid, Lily.


    She took care of all of the lady''s matters even though nobody else wanted to have anything going on with her. She was the only one the original soul could trust- the last person that could possibly spark emotions inside the ice lady''s heart from time to time.


    Roughly, that was what Xu Jiaqi discerned.


    A rather interesting setting to start off with, right?


    ''Pretty unlucky, I must say.''


    Ariel Maine. The ''poor'' daughter of the Maine Dukedom, located inside a vast land positioned in the upper left corner of the Varadan Empire. This was her body''s identity, the young lady who was despised by her own family and treated as a low blood despite not having committed any crimes.


    She greeted all her ''family members''.


    "Ariel. I have a task for you." This was the first thing the Duke spoke about right after she sat down on the chair. She hadn''t even touched her food yet, but the others had already eaten most of the delicacies and left only the trivial leftovers for her. In her memories, she was also served cold food like this every single day since the Duke didn''t allow her to dine in with the rest of the main family.


    However, today, she was actually brought to sit with them. Of course, not to make good amends, but for a task.


    "..This lady understands." Xu Jiaqi responded without emotion, digging into her food and chewing slowly.


    "Is that all you have to say?" The Duke, whose name was Reginald frowned. "Do you have no manners? I''m talking to you, and you''re trying to eat?" He berated, banging on the table with his fist.


    "What does Esteemed Lord think this lady should be saying? Should this lady get off this chair and grovel before you so that you can impart your priceless order to her? Is that the viable choice? This lady shall do that if you request to do so. There is no need for Esteemed Lord to get angry."


    If there was one thing to note about Ariel Maine''s speech, it would be that she always addressed herself as ''this lady'' for some unknown reasons, perchance a psychological mark.


    "Stop. You are still a member of the Maine Dukedom no matter how lowly you are. What if someone sees you being like this?" Reginald said.


    Xu Jiaqi only nodded as she crossed her hands on top of the table and looked at Reginald with cold eyes. "Then, what is the Esteemed Lord''s order about?"


    "You are going to be sent to Varadan''s capital. The Holy Monastery seeks for a young, chaste maiden of our bloodline, but your little sister Ariana can''t possibly be sacrificed for this reason. Thus, you will be going to the Palla region and train there as a Saintess candidate. Do you have any objection?"


    "Understood, Esteemed Lord. Your order shall be carried off." Xu Jiaqi replied without even thinking twice.


    A rule had always been instilled inside her head. That Reginald Maine''s words could never be objected or refused. Besides, getting out of Maine might be the best solution she could take.


    Reginald did not bat an eye at this ''daughter'' of his any longer. "I am not asking you to be the Saintess. For someone of your caliber, a miracle would have to happen. Your magical power is low, let alone your ability to wield Holy power. Originally, nobles of Maine had a high affinity with Holy magic, but Ariana will be wasted over there. You should stay low and not make a ruckus. You are going as the representative of Maine, and I won''t allow you to cause embarrassment for us. Do you understand?" he warned clearly.


    As if saying ''don''t think that you are special just because of this''. Reminding her of being worthless.


    "This lady understands, Esteemed Lord." Xu Jiaqi bowed her head down.


    Just then, an annoying chuckle came to life like an aggravating fly.


    "Serves you right, lowly tramp. You should be grateful that you can be useful for once. Hahahah!" The man who was supposed to be her half brother insulted her right off the bat, making her originally already bad mood even worse. His name was Tristan Maine, the Duke''s second son. It had to be said that he was the main culprit of most of her sufferings.


    He was the one who personally came down and acted on her frail body, imprinting her all sorts of heinous abuses, both physical and verbal. The original body''s hatred towards this man was overflowing and couldn''t be ignored.


    After having taken over the body, would Xu Jiaqi just stay still?


    No.

 Chapter 42 - 2.3

    Tristan Maine. An obnoxious, loud person who relied on his status to get by from situations and spread his infamy throughout the lands. Although the Maine family upheld honor and had quite the good image in front of others, Tristan was one of the problematic figures that was born into the world.


    He was hedonistic and loved spending time gambling in a noble''s site. Although these matters were supposed to be kept a secret, Tristan would always be surrounded by women of all ranges that suited his type. Status were less important to him than the face. He fooled around like this all day, so naturally his atrocious methods were revealed to the civilians through some of the ladies'' loose lips.


    An unbecoming person for a noble. Reginald Maine was also not that satisfied with this son of his, but luckily he was the second born and thus would not be the heir. His first son, Keith, was much more upright and exceptional. He showed the qualities of a lord and was educated to be the Maine''s heir since he was born.


    She analyzed her conditions, and sought for several actions to take. Out of all of it, she decided to take the most daring option.


    She banged her fist on the table, making the entire object shake and cause all the attendee''s eyes to be directed towards her. Most of the eyes contained indescribable shock, since the young lady had never broken out like this even despite having received countless bad treatments.


    "...What did you just say to this lady, you little shit?" With a jarring, hoarse voice, she spoke, sending chills to everyone in the room. "Repeat it if you dare."


    Xu Jiaqi: Pardon me, but this miss isn''t exactly in the best mood. Permit me to cut off your tongue for your mishaps, en?


    Tristan''s eyes widened upon having heard Xu Jiaqi''s words. However, he grinded his teeth and picked his bravery back up.


    "You.. lowly tramp! It''s a generosity from father that you are able to become a Saintess candidate! Your attitude is like a demon.. Your filthy mouth shall not be tolera-" Even though clear anger was displayed on Tristan''s face, he was never taught the real way on how to curse, so his insults were actually quite weak and not original at all.


    Xu Jiaqi banged her fist on the table one more time. This time, she even stood up and swept all the plates to the side, letting them fall to the ground and shatter while dropping all the leftover food.


    "You''re right. Maybe if this lady kills everyone in the room right now, it''s then will she be able to awaken a hidden side to herself? A demon.. that seems to be more exciting than being a worthless flower vase. Don''t you think so, Esteemed Lord? Does this lady have to kill thousands of people?" With a demonic smile, she slowly reeled in her middle finger, saluting the people with it.


    "Ariel Maine. The news of your departure must have affected your ability to think severely. I will order you to be restrained and undergo confinement until the representatives from Palla arrive here." Reginald finally decided to take action after Xu Jiaqi continued to ransack the place.


    Knights appeared from the surrounding area, threatening to take the lady away at any given moment after their lord gave the ultimatum.


    "Oh, of course not, Esteemed Lord. This is just simply stating the truth. Is it not my right to lash out just this once? This lady is being thrown out and used until the very end even though she has never asked to be born. Even being a peasant seems to be better than living in this shitty house. Anyway, you can''t send me out or kill me yet, since this lady still has to fulfill her last purpose right? That bitch doesn''t want to go to the Sanctuary. I''ll have to go in her stead so that you won''t lose your precious daughter." Xu Jiaqi shrugged, picking up a shard of glass that fell to the ground and aiming it towards Ariana''s way.


    "You trash-" This time, Ariana herself couldn''t stay still and reacted.


    Ariana Maine. The only recognized daughter of the Maine Dukedom. Truth be told, there were only a few bunch that knew about Ariel Maine''s existence, but most of them knew Ariana. The bright young lady who was influential in the high society as a social butterfly- a trait that her mother also shared.


    Theresa Silvia was the name of Reginald''s wife- Ariel''s step mother. She was a renowned social butterfly who often mingled with people of super high pedigree. She was also a proud member of the Silvia Dukedom, so it could be said that the marriage formed between her and Reginald was not entirely because of affection, but rather to strengthen both sides of power.


    She gave birth to two sons and one daughter. Others might say that she was very loved by the Duke of Maine, but it was actually just to keep pretenses in front of the public. In truth, they weren''t very loving to each other.


    "Don''t think that just because you will escape from this place, you will forever be free. It''s only your wishful thinking. You have never been a member of the Maine family, just a tool that was born out of accident. How long will it take for you to understand this simple fact?" Reginald spat out these poisonous words with a frustrated face.


    After hearing him spout those kinds of words, Xu Jiaqi could finally enter her next stage of aggression. She first shouted madly. A long scream after another, like a child who threw a tantrum. Only, Xu Jiaqi was an adult.


    "AAAAAAAAAH! Hah... HAHAHAH! HOW FOOLISH! YOU ALL BASTARDS! YOU WILL BE AFFLICTED WITH A CURSE THAT YOU WON''T AVOID! JUST WAIT AND SEE, SEE HOW THIS LOWLY, CRUDE PERSON CAN FUCKING DESTROY ALL OF YOU!"


    Her shrieks were very haunting. A person that has been cornered to an impossible  level to the point of breaking, of course they would be very unstable.


    Xu Jiaqi: Fuck your ears, fuck your life, fuck yourself, and- Oh... I don''t want to fuck y

 Chapter 43 - 2.4

    "Take her away. She has gone crazy after hearing some.. fortunate news. An ungrateful person who can''t even receive their golden chance calmly.. this type of person can never be a true Maine. Carry her out right this very instant.." Reginald looked away from the horrendous sight, and the knight began to mobilize themselves.


    "Not a Maine.. Not a Maine, huh? You are right! This lady will never be able to spout bullshit like you folks! Thank the heavens that this lady is not a Maine! Thank the heavens, thank the fucking God!" Xu Jiaqi continued to scream until she thought that her throat was going to bleed. She ended up choking, leading to a series of uncontrollable coughs.


    Tears instinctively jumped out of her eyes, further solidifying her act as a lunatic born from unjust actions.


    She was dragged away by the knights that were stationed in the dining room, but she continued to hurl abuses, with a volume that threatened to burst their eardrums.


    Her maniacal laughter could be heard even from a distance, and the Maine family members were reasonably quite affected with this change since it was completely unpredictable.


    However, even though they always justified themselves, they knew that what they have been doing towards Ariel Maine all this time was wrong and naturally didn''t pursue this matter further. They treated it as a case of a woman who finally went mad after


    As if they weren''t disgusting enough, the only thing that flew across their mind was actually that with how Ariel was acting, their image could be sullied when the representative from Palla comes. Reginald Maine had originally pressed this task towards Ariel because he knew how docile and meek the woman was, and how she couldn''t stand up for herself at all.


    However, now that she was beginning to grow mad, won''t all of the arrangements fall apart? The Maine''s name couldn''t be tarnished.


    There was a clear dissonance within the room. A thin ice that seemed to be forming around their heart, making it hard to breathe.


    "...I will look for another way to solve this. Ariel will still go. Don''t worry, Ariana. You will be safe from that shitty duty." Reginald comforted his blonde daughter as he called for a vassal to arrange his future plans. He stood up from his chair and left the room quickly.


    In truth, if he was asked to speak about love, than what he had towards his daughter was not that of a paternal love, but rather appreciation because Ariana brought good fame and profit to them. She was a useful contributor to the family''s honor, so Reginald naturally wouldn''t discard her yet.


    Reginald had never spoken about his other son Tristan. He always brought Keith to meeting other executives, but never Tristan. Because he knew how much damage the man could cause and wanted to avoid bringing him up.


    Even as a bystander, Ariel was hurt a lot by Tristan who wanted to vent his anger. The young man was neglected because his older brother was way superior than him, and rather than trying to change himself, Tristan opted to committing huge crimes so that his father would pay attention to him. Any sort of attention. Good or bad.


    The knights that Reginald deployed escorted Xu Jiaqi to the underground dungeon cell and imprisoned her. No matter how ''worthless'' Xu Jiaqi was declared to be, due to the law that did not permit them to be rude towards nobles, they refrained from excessively acting towards Xu Jiaqi. However, they were still cold and did not look at the young girl''s eyes in the slightest.


    After her cell was locked tight, Xu Jiaqi sat down in the corner of the room and stopped her lunatic act. Perhaps because the guards did not think that Xu Jiaqi will be able to escape in the first place no matter how she tried, there was no one to keep watch on her. Reginald also did not specify that she had to be under supervision, so the surroundings were devoid of people.


    Xu Jiaqi took a massive sigh, lamenting her bad start in this world. To think that after she experienced a grand life in the first round, she would be thrown down to the ground like this. What a contrast.


    Her interest was piqued by some aspects of this world that was unfamiliar to her.


    Magic. Before, she had only heard the term inside of fantasy contents, but she was actually inserted inside a fantasy world right now.


    Xu Jiaqi was unfamiliar with the concept of using magic, but she tried to explore herself.


    The Maine family were indeed quite talented in the magical power aspect. Most of the nobles were able to manipulate mana to a certain degree, which was one of the daunting factors that made them be separated from the civilians and peasants in the kingdom caste.


    However, even withing this spectrum, the Maine family was rather exceptional. They had a high affinity to magic, and their sensitivity to mystical energies were better than others. Each generation of their family always had a pioneer in magic or an achievement in relation to that matter. However, this generation did not have such a person yet. This once caused Reginald to be enraged at all of his children and even physically harmed his wife a couple times out of frustration.


    Because the Duchess Theresa was also someone who loved face, there was no way she would make a ruckus about this matter. She kept silence and healed her wounds secretly, but she did demand some compensation from the Duke.


    This family was way more twisted than Ariel thought. But one thing, one painful thing was there- that Ariel was the punching back of this God forsaken family. She was treated like trash and slung from one corner to another.


    However, since she technically had noble blood, then she should still be able to wield magic. This was the important part. She just didn''t know how to start doing it since she was never taught so.


    "...Should I start chanting those.. cringe worthy spell names.. and poses...?" Xu Jiaqi looked at her hands in disgust, not wanting to do it in the slightest.

 Chapter 44 - 2.5

    Luckily, before she was about to start acting out techniques from a fantasy media, she was reunited with the System.


    [Host! Are you alright?] The System''s worried voice resounded inside her mind. He had a tinge of tiredness as he spoke, a tone which Xu Jiaqi picked up with ease. Reading emotions through vocal tones and gestures was one of her forte in life.


    ''My angel! Come here, teach me how to use magic! I can do it, right? I will kill you if you start saying bullshit like "Oh, Ariel Maine is actually not Reginald''s child, but rather someone who her mother tried to frame the Duke with in order to climb up social ranks, but failed to complete." Come, come. Sit down.''


    Xu Jiaqi''s face instantly brightened up, thinking that she would finally get the solution to her problem through the almighty System that was certainly not under her feet at all.


    The System''s heart skipped a beat. His Host''s words made a lot of sense, and it sounded so much like a bad omen that he had to personally check the girl''s background from the storyline, making sure that her identity was correct before connecting back with his Host.


    A fleeting thought passed by his head, why was he so afraid of his Host? Wasn''t he supposed to be the one who orders her around and holds authority? Why did it turn to be the opposite?


    No, no, this can''t do. He had to straighten up his pride! He couldn''t just stay silent as he was being bullied by this Host of his!


    The System coughed internally and made an angry emoticon to solidify its intentions. He wanted to knock some sense into this Host who did whatever she wanted!


    [Host, stop. Listen to me. I won''t tell you anything if you keep doing this. I will stop working.] He said with a stern tone.


    Right! He could use this tactic to threaten her! He wanted to see what she could do if he refused to obey her orders and depleted her of the resources he so generously gave her all this time! He wanted to be more appreciated for his efforts, was that such a bad thing??


    However, despite his hopes, the Host crushed his dreams and will in an instant.


    ''Aaah? Is that so? Then I will just kill myself and fail this mission, I remember that you said you can get a demotion if you can''t cooperate with your Host properly, and she fails a mission with bottom rock grades? You want to try me out? Can you stop me from lodging a knife in all the leads'' throat then suiciding? Banging my oh-so-small head at this wall with full strength? Imagine the waterfall of blood that will spurt.. Perhaps some of it would even get to your spiritual form. Wouldn''t that be great? You will be bathing in blood.''


    Xu Jiaqi said all of that without batting an eye. It made the System wonder if the woman was a psychopath that he hadn''t researched well enough yet, thus leading to this situation where he was being completely suppressed.


    Hateful!


    The System was silenced. His angry emoticon changed into a sad one, then a happy, smiley one.


    [Of course not, Host! Your happiness is my happiness! Let us proceed to the storyline first. Ariel Maine''s identity will be displayed in the database as well. Please allow me to inject the plot..] He tried his hardest to restrain his tears.


    ''That''s a good boy. Now, come!'' Xu Jiaqi was fired up. She wanted to use magic! She would listen to the story, then immediately plan how she would ruin the story-  *cough* How she would solve the story.


    Magic! Flames! Water jets! Wind tornadoes! How cool would that be? For someone who was trapped in modern society without a shred of magical elements for two worlds, she wanted to try this new trope out.


    Perhaps, if she was able to soar as a magician, she would just quickly complete her mission and wreak havoc using magic. That would be fun. She wanted to try reigning over a kingdom once, but it would be quite taxing and troublesome to handle the royal tasks she had to execute.


    A puppet ruler? Would that be a more feasible option?


    Xu Jiaqi closed her eyes and felt information make their way into her head, letting go of her ambitions for the time being.


    The setting was indeed in a world with magic usage, albeit not everybody could utilize the element.


    Her character, Ariel Maine, was a young girl that seemed to be detested by the world itself. There was no explanation on how she was thrown into the fray of so many chaotic fights.


    She was tortured in the Maine household, then sent to the Palla region in order to undergo strict education as a Saintess candidate. There, she was repeatedly harassed by not only the other candidates who wielded negative intentions, but also the executives of power behind Palla''s reign.


    In fact, this Saintess position was impossible to get if you did not have the officer''s approval. Even though the monastery was marked as a holy site that should partake in nothing but good deeds and beyond, the truth was largely different from that.


    The officers readily partook in satisfying their worldly desires and would not hesitate to extort others to their wishes while hiding behind the impenetrable shield that is the people''s beliefs. Varadan Empire''s people were dedicated to their religion- based around a certain Goddess Eula.


    Goddess Eula was noted to be a venerable idol that created the universe and bestowed life upon the world they were in. Her grace gave humans the power they had now, and her intelligence gave birth to the current technology advancement. Going around this topic, the humans were once truly innocent when they discussed serving Goddess Eula. However, as time passed by, bad thoughts began to spur inside the ''holy'' individuals lurking behind the power structure.


    There were many untold truths that this place harbored.

 Chapter 45 - 2.6

    The reason Palla was where the churches and sanctuaries were focused at was because of the high Holy power concentration there. It was unknown why this specific region had more energy pressure than the others, but it was easier to connect with the basics of your own self in Palla. This was why nobles baptized their children in Palla, because they would be blessed with a noticeable advancement in their progress. Of course, not just everybody could enter the most magic dense areas.


    They took advantage of the people in order to build their authority up, and instilled their rock solid play into the hearts of the people. Creating cultures and advances that went under the name of Goddess Eula, when the real truth was that it was all for their selfish benefits.


    Where were the main leads in this crazy mess, you say?


    Obviously, the female lead was the soon-to-be Saintess. Her name was Serenia Aubellin, the adoptive daughter of a wizard who held strength comparable to none in her peers except for the male lead. She was abandoned as a baby by her real parents, and had a lucky stroke in encountering a powerful hermit that ended up picking her up and passed down his powerful knowledge.


    She was a strong-willed person, but her looks were very delicate and fragile, like a pure and untainted flower. She was sought by many for her beauty, but no one could cross her path without losing an arm or a leg if they offended her because of her strong grip in magic. One of her forte was Holy magic- which was why she was brought to the monastery after having been discovered using a high leveled Holy magic with ease.


    She was the only candidate who was personally recruited by the crown prince. When she was asked by the Holy faction''s executives the first time, she resolutely refused, but the crown prince later came to bargain and debate with her, which led to their first encounter and what piqued them to get to know each other better from that point on.


    After a long session of convincing, Serenia finally agreed to go to the monastery and underwent trials relevant to her position and power in the monastery, with pesky enemies trying to bring her down at any given chance. Naturally, she was made to never falter and would always end up victorious over her nemesis.


    Then came the male lead''s identity, who was of course the one who escorted and brought her to the monastery- Varadan Empire''s one and only Crown Prince, Caelum Eli Vaan Jean-Luc Quinnard , set to inherit the throne if nothing goes wrong. The strongest man and woman in the empire binding together. How lovely, isn''t it?


    And of course, a lot of thing will go wrong in order to instill the dramatic effect between the two leads'' life- however, none of those troubles will be able to successfully take them out. Rather, it would just strengthen their power and solidify their positions as the beloved children of the heavens even more.


    (A/N: I know his name is long, it''s meant to be long, just remember him as Caelum Quinnard HAHAHHA)


    Serenia and Caelum would later be wedded, and she would be the first Saintess who became the Empress, breaking the previous history records where the Holy and Empire faction did not mix or cross with each other too much. This relation would better the ties between those two factions, but naturally, this did not end very well.


    Although the two leads were happy and led a fulfilling life, after receiving further grace and power due to being directly related to the Empire''s most affluent person, both faction sides of the trade quickly deteriorated. More and more degenerate acts were executed, and crimes began to run rampant behind the public''s eyes.


    However, not even strict jurisdiction was able to prevent the public from finding out the truth one day. One person who was aware of everything turned to two, then four, then eight, then suddenly, the whole empire''s citizens knew about the abuse of power and how it related to their suffering.


    The secret was spilled, and it became the perfect fuel for enraging the masses.


    One chaos turned into another, and soon wars began to spurt out of what was originally a simple conflict of interests.


    In this case, Ariel Maine was able to know all of this before she died precisely because she was imprisoned wrongfully by the Holy faction. She was deemed as an infidel, but she wasn''t thrown out or killed, but rather chained up and ''drained'' of her mana. As if she was a trivial experimental subject, she was lodged with tubes and magical objects, and she would meet researchers every single day. She was kept in Palla''s underground, and through hearing the words of the researchers around her, she was able to  know what happened outside the secret dungeon she was kept in.


    She was tortured, fed with strange substances, injected with foreign liquids, beaten down and healed.. exposed to a disgusting series of treatment daily.


    However, she wasn''t lucky- she never got out and could no longer have the chance to see and feel the warm sunlight for the rest of her life after she was detained.


    One day, her body was no longer able to take it, and her mental state was also not far from a dead person''s thoughts- devoid of anything. She heaved her last breath in a risky experiment concocted by the researchers, and died a miserable death after being tortured for so long.


    She was not the main character, and her life ended as a cannon fodder whose existence was buried.


    To this unsettling knowledge, she did not feel threatened or scared, but rather rejoiced.


    ''..If I was imprisoned and treated like that.. Something must be terribly special about me. What is it? Magical power, my constitution, blood.. There must be something, right?'' Xu Jiaqi asked, looking at the System with sparkly eyes as she waited for a satisfactory answer.


    ''Something I can use.''

 Chapter 46 - 2.7

    The System readily replied.


    [Yes, Host. I have ran a check ahead of time and found out the cause of the researchers'' addiction towards you. The answer is simply your magical affinity. Despite not being able to showcase flashy spells due to Ariel never being taught how to use her mana properly, she actually had a very pure Holy element residing inside her, like her body itself was the embodiment of holiness. This caused the executives to want to cultivate this power and try to achieve a similar result, and they framed Ariel with a heavy crime in order to make her ''disappear'' from the world despite actually being captured and shackled down.]


    ''Wow!'' Xu Jiaqi commented, not feeling content with the end she was served. The original was just too pitiful. She was a normal child, but her mom wanted to use her, her family abused and mistreated her, the ''Holy'' monastery framed and captured her until her death arrived.


    Who was as pitiful as this woman? Why was the world so merciless towards her? Life was truly unfair to some, and this was the perfect example of it.


    ''But I suppose.. Hm, how strong do you think I can be compared to the main leads?''


    [If we are talking about potential, then your body should be able to contend with them. However, they have started training their powers ever since they were born, and Host will naturally lag behind even if you trained to death right now. The time gap is too big.] The System evaluated.


    Xu Jiaqi smirked. Time was never a problem for her. She was someone who could bypass such aspects of life, it was her dazzling talent that carried her everywhere. Although tackling down magic will be a new challenge for her, she wasn''t daunted.


    ''That''s it for the plot I can receive, right? Show me the mission. Then we will talk about how I will gain power.''


    [Understood, Host. There will be one Main Quest and one Side Quest. Like before, the Side Quest has to be triggered by specific conditions at a later time, and will be hidden by now. The Main Quest is as such.] The System politely answered before letting out a beeping sound, and giving Xu Jiaqi new information.


    The quest window was dropped in front of her eyes.


    [Main Quest: A New Light Within the Darkness.]


    [Details: Ariel Maine was discarded over and over again. Her faith towards humanity has perished. Due to her good heart, she wants to eradicate all of the injustices and rotten cores that roams the empire. She had big dreams, but she couldn''t execute them because she was continually suppressed even though she had high potential and hopes. She accidentally died after long hours of unwarranted abuse. To change this, break free from the chains that hold Ariel down and reform the world for the better. Dispose of her enemies and soothe her hatred, let her rest in peace.]


    It was a quest of revenge.


    ''Not a romance quest! Thank God! Who was it again? Goddess Eula? Goddess, your world is the best!'' Xu Jiaqi praised her situation inside her heart, rejoicing over not having to deal with romance and being able to focus more on the fantasy trait of this place.


    The quest''s content was also something that she desired as a whole.


    Xu Jiaqi was someone who loved authority. No matter how much she tried to resist it, the allure of ruling over others was just too much for her. She loved seeing others cower in front of her power. Because she believed that she was superior, that she was more qualified to stand on the top than anybody else.


    She was always such a twisted person, even before she died and was recruited by the System. Every single action she took was one that would build her up. She viewed romance as something useless. It wasn''t a baseless stance, but rather a logical perspective on emotions. She knew that romance could potentially bring her down, so she avoided them.


    Above all, she was an addict who fell in love with power. Handsome visages did not attract her the most, it was power that could make her breathing rough and get her heartbeat pumping madly.


    This kind of perversion was really special. Xu Jiaqi was a pervert in this spectrum. For power, for authority, for her victory.


    If someone annoyed her, then she would remove them. It was that simple. This time, it would be the same. She made a tricky bet with herself, exposing her playful nature.


    How long would it take before she crumbled down this evil source of power and made everything hers? Until she could usurp the power and control everything?


    Ahh, the very thought of it made her skin crawl with delight. It was a very joyful moment for her, who was crouching in the corner of the damp cell.


    A delirious smile appeared on her face. Before, she was trapped in a modern world, and considering her situation, she couldn''t fully launch a world scale dictatorship. She resorted to increase her range of control behind the back, while engaging in a flashy and upright domination of companies in the front.


    Come to think of it, she was rather curious to what happened after she passed away in her original world. To her fiance, she might have just been an exemplary young lady who was competent in work, but that wasn''t it. She was a shadow ruler from the back, and most countries were already technically in her hands.


    Wouldn''t they fall apart when she, the controller of all that held a balanced grip on their affairs went missing?


    But back to the story, this was an empire. A place where even if the ruler was a dictator, the people would have no other choices but to obey if they wanted to keep their heads still.


    She was able to fulfill what she couldn''t previously.


    Hiding her willful bets that treated the hundreds of thousands of people that would be indirectly affected by the changes she would make to the world like mere puny ants, she painfully bid her time until the day the Palla inquisitors came to her rescue.


    Xu Jiaqi: Yes... Take me away from this household, so I can destroy your home.

 Chapter 47 - 2.8

    6 days after Xu Jiaqi was imprisoned, one of the knights finally came and faced her.


    In this short time, she had been given minimal food and life supplies, but no one came to visit apart from those essential times. Thus, she was able to devote herself to studying magic with her System.


    The System was right. Ariel Maine did have a very spectacular tolerance and affinity towards Holy magic. In just one day, she was able to feel mana, and through using the manuals the System gave her, she started to apply those techniques at herself. She healed the small wounds she received, and repaired her damaged internals that had resulted from years of mistreatment.


    It turned out to be very easy, despite her fears towards this foreign concept.


    Her constitution was instantly bettered, and she looked more like a young girl than a deathly child in a flash.


    Today, there was a knight that stood before her cell, holding a golden key that Xu Jiaqi recognized as the one for her cell''s lock.


    Her eyes twinkled with interest, but she hid her emotions as she observed the young knight''s movements.


    "Lady Ariel, you have been called by the Lord. You are to get ready for your departure to Palla." The knight spoke, holding his weapon, which was a long spear by his side. He did not look into Ariel''s eyes, not even once as he jiggled the key into the prison lock and set Xu Jiaqi free.


    His hands immediately grabbed onto Xu Jiaqi''s lean arms, which were as thin as sticks. The knight himself was quite surprised as he felt the young girl''s physique, because he didn''t expect her to be this thin, having nothing but bones.


    Xu Jiaqi immediately slapped the man''s hands with her other palm, but it did nothing to the knight''s grip.


    "Could you not? With the amount of strength you are using, there will be bruises on this lady''s body. If that happens, what would you think the Maine name will degrade to once this lady reveals it?" Xu Jiaqi threatened, spitting on the ground and glaring at the knight. She grinded her teeth in pain.


    The grip was sure to leave a long lasting mark on her frail body. Her skin was deathly pale, and her complexion couldn''t be fixed with Holy magic right away. It required further in-depth treatment.


    The knight, albeit knowing that Lady Ariel was famed to be a docile and harmless woman who always stood still no matter what treatment she was given was not at all shocked by her change. It was precisely because he also understood what conditions she went through. Perhaps, her real personality was that of this crude lady, but because the family shaped her to be a punching bag, her personality was adjusted to match such things.


    She was pitiful, but he wasn''t in a position to feel sympathy. He released his strong grip, but still kept an eye on her. In this moment, his gaze met with hers, and he was instantly taken aback with the lady''s fiery, yet cold gaze.


    It was as if an undying flame resided inside her despite all the cold shells she had put up for the world. Ariel Maine was only fifteen, yet there was an indescribable aura that poured out of her body. Something he couldn''t put his hands on, something that shouldn''t appear out of a teenager''s short years of life.


    He immediately retracted his gaze and brought Ariel to the Duke, and left her while feeling quite flabbergasted at his experiences. He didn''t know why, but he had a feeling that he should not offend this lady of his.


    Such eyes.. was it possible that she would incur a larger change in the future? Lady Ariel was very lively at heart, it seemed.


    No one knew what will happen in the future. He was not a brainless knight, and he wouldn''t make rash decisions out of nowhere. Especially unneeded ones. Because him working here had a purpose, he had a goal to fulfill. His eyes grew cold. Although the lady showed some surprising qualities, no matter how hard she tried, it would be near impossible to escape the bird cage that the Maines had placed on her. It was better to just ignore the lady from today onwards and not get involved at all.


    He kept these thoughts to himself and returned back to his post. There, as he rested, his thought were still filled with the face of the small beauty. When he looked at her straight in the face, he was able to get a clear view of her.


    And her appearance was very noble despite the dirt that had stained her petite body. As a healthy growing male, he did have some indecent thoughts from time to time, but he was someone who could control his libido very well.


    Only, he didn''t know why, but the young lady brought some ripples to his heart.


    Shaking his head, he thought that he was turning crazy. His thoughts were bending all over the place.


    On the other hand, Xu Jiaqi entered the Duke''s room. There was the man who was this body''s biological father, and another old man who was a counselor for the Duke.


    She did not greet the Duke, and did not say anything. She just stood in front of the Duke''s table.


    A few seconds passed, with the Duke observing her every fiber with sharp eyes.


    "Ariel Maine, my cursed daughter. Has the imprisonment knocked some sense into your head? I am your father, and there is nothing you could do to oppose me. I thought that the years of suppression would have instilled this information into your head, but it seems like that wasn''t the case. However.. I''m sure that you already know why you were called here. Now, as a last grace, I will be generous and give you one wish that I will fulfill if it''s within my range of desire. State it right now, because we will never meet again once you depart for Palla."


    Reginald leaned back against his chair, smirking in a smug manner.. As if he had just obtained a perfect victory.

 Chapter 48 - 2.9

    Xu Jiaqi entered with her head lowered, which Reginald interpreted as the girl giving up with her attempts to fight back.


    In fact, Xu Jiaqi was just trying to control her intense desire to mock the Duke for not realizing that he could have literally made a human weapon out of Ariel if it wasn''t for his wrong foresight that did not account for her mother''s potential.


    The System did some research on Ariel Maine''s mother, and it turned out that she was actually a runaway performer from another empire. Although the details were not disclosed, her mother, whose name was Maria, came from a tribe that specialized in magical attributes. They dealt with ancient subjects, such as old fashioned spells, charms, or even curses. It was an eccentric lineage, but they were indeed quite special.


    This bloodline, mixed with the noble Maine bloodline who is known to be very suitable to cultivating magic, concocted Ariel Maine, who had a very high aptitude towards using magic. In particular, her Holy magic was the most polished out of all the elements.


    Xu Jiaqi sneered inside as she watched Reginald look at her as if she was just some measly trash when in truth, it was Reginald''s huge loss since the very beginning.


    "This lady.. would like to bring someone with me to Palla. Would that be allowed?" Xu Jiaqi tilted her head, smiling as she bubbly requested.


    The Duke raised a brow at this request. He felt very unsettled, but he did not know why.


    "Who might the unlucky person be?" He questioned, not denying the request right away. It was just the loss of one person. As long as Xu Jiaqi did not ask for someone who was out of her league, and was disposable to Reginald, he planned to grant it.


    "You know the knight who escorted me here? Yeah, this lady will bring him with me."


    "...A knight? For you? It seems like you still don''t understand your situation here. I''m sending you off to die. If you think that Palla is that righteous and glorious, then why would I not send Ariana there? It''s because they''re trash people. And you are the one who is going to take the brunt of it, a meat shield. Are you trying to make that knight die for you? It''d be pointless." Reginald laughed condescendingly.


    "If I am granted the request, then I shall act accordingly to a proper noble''s manners and not stain the Maine''s reputation. I just want to bring someone down with me, and that knight offended me earlier. Is even this too much of a request for you?" Xu Jiaqi looked, sighing as she batted her eyelids as if she was tired from everything in the world.


    "Well, that knight... is a peasant, so you could take him without any repercussions. Adam, arrange for the knight''s transfer. Seek for his replacement." Reginald ordered.


    Xu Jiaqi internally grinned in delight.


    "I understand.. However, Lady, the knight''s name is Zenith Ahgren, a member of Maine''s First Knight Order. As a peasant, getting into his position takes every drop of his blood, sweat, and tears. This matter of you desiring to bring him to Palla means that you are destroying all of his hard work, and killed his path off. Are you still going to proceed?" The counselor spoke. He was well aware of Zenith, who was famed to have climbed the impossible stairs.


    When the others were of a noble pedigree or a rich civilian, he was a poor peasant who rose to his position just using his sheer willpower. He was also strong, so losing him will indeed be a bit detrimental to Maine.


    However, at the same time, replacements for someone like him were aplenty and did not need to be fussed about. This was akin to the lady''s dying wish, since she will most definitely die in Palla and not even be buried intact. Thus, it could still be granted.


    "Of course. this lady just wants to see his devastated expression as he realizes that... that his future has been uprooted with just some simple words." Xu Jiaqi calmly stated.


    "..Very well then. It shall be arranged according to your wishes." The counselor relented.


    "Is that all?" Reginald hurriedly spoke. He never liked to see this daughter of his because of how her mother used to be.


    At first, he had been attracted to the woman who entranced him and captured his attention after just a few sessions of getting to know each other. He grew to learn more and more about the woman, and engaged in various nightly activities with the exotic beauty. She was akin to an intoxicating alcohol. Poisonous for him to consume.


    However, the woman turned out to be a liar. Not only was she just a peasant, she was also a member of an indigenous tribe that used curses and did strange rituals. It was still perfectly normal to have several wives and lovers, but if people knew that his lover''s origins were like that.. It would be deadly to his name.


    Thus, he discarded her, barred her off from ever seeing him again, and even injured her when she was  pregnant with Ariel Maine. The baby was undetected, but after a few months, the pregnancy was clear.


    From there, Maria began to descend into insanity, and when she gave birth to Ariel, she thought that the baby could be a way for her to get Reginald to love her again. To give her the glory and wealth he once promised.


    But when she sought Reginald out bringing Ariel in her hands, she was thrown out brutally and had her fingers cut off, her eyes dug out, and her tongue pulled out because Maria attempted to latch herself to Reginald for the last time, betting on her charm to get the man''s heart one more time.


    When it all failed, she truly went ballistic. However, according to the news, she later died because of bleeding and infections in addition to a serious sickness that plagued her.


    Remembering all about his former partner, Reginald clicked his tongue in displeasure. This daughter of his was such an eyesore.

 Chapter 49 - 2.10

    Eyesores had to be removed. He wanted to send Xu Jiaqi off as soon as he could, but the Palla visitors had a specific schedule, so Xu Jiaqi had to be detained for a whole week before she could be taken away.


    Luckily, the men from Palla had sent him with a letter that notified their arrival. By tonight, they should already be knocking on his doors, requesting for departure with Ariel the following morning.


    Reginald smiled eerily. Everything was fine. It would go all according to his wishes, nothing more, nothing less.


    He, Reginald Maine, wouldn''t fall or fail in his standing. Surely, it would never happen.


    Back in her room, Xu Jiaqi looked at her appearance. She was always someone who had a knack of beauty. Even after dying, her appreciation for physical aesthetics hadn''t diminished in the slightest. Beauty was always something that could be prized. Simply by being a beautiful person, one could obtain various benefits in life right off the bat without having to do anything special at all.


    Ariel Maine was originally a very beautiful person. Xu Jiaqi was even tempted to say that Ariel was more beautiful than the previous world''s Xu Jiaqi. Her hair was platinum blonde, sheer and silky like threads. Her eyes were like beautiful sapphire gems when one looked closely, but sadly, no one had ever bothered to look into these pair of eyes as they had always disregarded her.


    Her mother Maria had to have a striking appearance if she could get into the Reginald Maine''s mind and tug on his heartstrings. Reginald, too, was known for his appearance in the noble community. He was someone who heavily took care of himself and did not let any of his aspects go lax. A beautiful person paired with another beauty-blessed human, the child would naturally also have the genes.


    Maria had softer features, as opposed to Reginald''s harsher ones. Thus, Ariel had a mixture of both, creating a perfect balance that served as the face that Xu Jiaqi was gloating over right now. In fact, compared to the other Maine children, Ariel had a better look.


    Theresa Silvia was not someone who had the best look ever, but her standing was high and her reputation in the society was off the charts. That was why, Reginald marrying Theresa was very beneficial for both parties. The Maine children received Theresa''s genes, but their looks weren''t on par with Ariel''s.


    Maria, this lady, must have been the flower of her tribe for the genes she managed to pass down.


    Xu Jiaqi continued to muse around her looks for a long time, making the System worried if the Host was actually broken in the head because she was heartbroken by Qin Zicheng or something.


    [Host, do you still have feelings for Qin Zicheng? If you do.. then I might be able to help wiping your memories when I achieve the appropriate authority. It''s still impossible for now, but if you want to forget Qin Zicheng..] The System spoke.


    "..Qin Zicheng? The guy from the previous world? Ahh~ our.. How did I do it again? Zicheng ge~" Like it was as natural as breathing, Xu Jiaqi swapped out to a coy voice and replied to the System.


    [..] The System was immediately silenced and had his words restrained.


    Never mind, Host seems to not be affected at all. Good for her..?


    "Anyway, I really don''t brood over things like that. That time is over, so you don''t have to worry about me getting stuck around that world. I know how to separate myself from such things." Xu Jiaqi casually swiped all of her hair back and flopped herself down to the bed.


    "..Wait, no. Come to think of it, Qin Zicheng probably didn''t love me enough. I judged his stamina when he was exercising with me. We should''ve been at the peak of sexual relations considering our age and bond, but he didn''t fuck me a lot. Rather, every time we did it, he treated me like a piece of glass and even stopped to let me rest a lot.. I''m not saying that it killed the mood, but it kinda did. That hurts my pride a bit.." Xu Jiaqi complained.


    [Host.. your view on the world is completely skewed, please reform yourself.]


    "It just proved that the stories I read in my free time aren''t completely right even though I''m being put in one of those nonsensical situations. Guys like Qin Zicheng in the novel, they are depicted as beastly and all, but I never got to see any of that. Perhaps I played a little bit too pure? I want to taste how it''s like provoking a beast." Xu Jiaqi lamented. "Oh shit, did I become a masochist? No way... I will just have a taste. How would it be like being a sex maniac?"


    [Host, stop! I won''t ask anymore, so please concentrate on your own appearance and fulfill the mission!]


    "One step at a time, System. One step at a time. This world will definitely take years to complete... I can''t rush it like before. I looked at the information you researched for me, and to take down the entire Palla religious land will be.. troubling." Xu Jiaqi turned serious.


    After realizing that whatever it said to the Host, things could never go accordingly to his way, the System began to slowly retract and focus on his researching job that the Host had ordered him to do.


    What not loving enough?! Clearly Qin Zicheng loved her so much that he couldn''t bear to see her feel even the slightest bits of pain! To the point of suppressing his own libido all the time!


    He remembered that the Host used to walk around the house without clothes because it was comfortable for her. Whenever Qin Zicheng saw her, he had to practically do a manual reverse to all the blood flow that surged to his private area.


    It happened so many times that Qin Zicheng became a professional at stopping his little brother from rising.


    His Host was romantically dumb, so she didn''t get this at all.


    How could he help this sorry case of a Host?

 Chapter 50 - 2.11

    As Xu Jiaqi fell asleep, when she woke up, a new day already greeted her.


    A few moments later, several maids came to seek her out. Saying that the people from Palla had arrived in the Dukedom last night and that she would be prepared to be taken away today.


    Today was a special day, so there were more maids attending to her than just Lily.


    Xu Jiaqi stretched her body out, letting a sigh as she knew that today would be filled with nothing but travelling, travelling, and travelling. She looked at the map and knew that Palla was terribly far. It would take at least three days to get there with the fastest carriage, not counting the stops and breaks.


    She was also reminded of the Knight that she requested to follow her. Zenith Ahgren. His name was rather pretty, it suited her type. The reason why she had requested for the man to follow her was not just because of a mere joke as she had said to the Duke, but because she saw something inside the man that she couldn''t bear to miss out on.


    She was someone who is very good at judging other people''s interest and intentions. If her eyes haven''t failed her yet, then this man named Zenith Ahgren was someone who she possessed an extremely high amount of energy. Only, he did not seem to make any efforts to use it yet.


    It was only when she was grabbed by the man was she able to feel a terrible shock go through her bloodstreams, as if there was a rush of ecstasy that attacked her without stopping. It felt like every single sense of her was stimulated became overloaded.


    This kind of man, there can only be one explanation for it. He was like a walking magic battery, someone who possessed a lot of energy to the point that blind interaction could provide another with substantial mana right off the bat. Without having to do anything, he was excreting magical energy from all parts of his body.


    If a high ranking magician encountered Zenith Ahgren, then they would certainly bend over their proud backs to try and recruit him with all their might. Unfortunately, no one succeeded to realize this quality of his before Xu Jiaqi found him, so the cake could only be taken by her.


    For her, if she were to train until she completely wasted up her mana channels, she could restore everything like it was brand new just by holding hands with this man.


    With a sly smile, she thought about all the possibilities that he could do with him. Every time she was tired, she could just latch onto this man, who felt like an ice cream bar in the middle of a hot summer day. An oasis in the desert. It was just too delightful to think about.


    She could spend all day and night training whenever she wanted, and could also train her magical aptitude by touching Zenith. It was like a shortcut to heaven.


    Anything to catch up with the leads. She would do anything to surpass them.


    Making creepy giggles in between her actions, the maids who came to assist her instantly became apprehensive and further lamented the young lady''s fate. Although they did pity her, they didn''t have the qualifications to sympathize or help her. Because they only had one job and that was to serve the family, they quickly got Xu Jiaqi ready and sent her to Reginald''s office, leaving her alone.


    Xu Jiaqi was in a very good mood, so she knocked and entered the room with high spirits. Inside, she was able to find an enraged Zenith Ahgren who was holding his anger back as much as he possibly could. His fists were already balled up, and drops of blood were already seeping from where he lodged his short nails in. His face was already reddening and it seemed like he could burst out at any given moment.


    Looking at such a man''s condition, Xu Jiaqi only had one thing to say, and that was to shamelessly apologize.


    Even though she may have did an unreasonable thing to the man, it was for her own benefit. If the man follows her lead well and trusts her, then Xu Jiaqi was sure to be able to snatch that Saintess position for good and reform the world as the mission wanted her to do.


    She only needed to collect properties that would help her, and one of them was Zenith Ahgren''s aptitude towards magical energy.


    Just from a single glance, because she had been practicing like crazy and had a massive potential in magic, she had already jumped over the beginner levels and entered intermediate stages. She could tell that Zenith did not have a trace of magical complexity. But due to her being assisted by the System''s scanning, she knew that Zenith indeed had an immense amount of this bluish cold mist that constantly emanated from him.


    Reginald seemed to have noticed the slight change, but did not dwell on it further because he was far away from Zenith and couldn''t feel the full extent of it. Zenith''s full effect activated when he came in direct contact with her.


    Thinking about that moment once again, she shuddered and approached her father, standing beside the depressed Zenith Ahgren like she did nothing wrong.


    There was a clear hateful glare that came from Zenith, as if blaming her for everything that happened. Naturally, everybody knew about Ariel''s status and where she was going. Her conditions.


    There was no way the Duke would willingly send a knight to ''protect'' her, when it was clear that Ariel would not survive the events over at Palla.


    Thus, there could only be one culprit as to why Zenith was being sent away.


    "Good day, Esteemed Lord. This lady is ready to depart from this filthy place." Xu Jiaqi greeted the man with the perfect noble etiquette.


    Yes, the culprit can only be Xu Jiaqi, otherwise known as Ariel Maine.

 Chapter 51 - 2.12

    "Good, then. Go take the carriage.. with your knight. If I didn''t know what sort of person you are, I would''ve guessed that you wanted to bring him to act as a damsel in distress." Reginald did not respond much to his daughter''s offensive words, he only knew that she was going to be gone in a flash and that there was no need to pander upon this for long.


    "Oh? And what type of person exactly is this lady to the Esteemed Lord?" Xu Jiaqi asked, her eyes narrowing down softly. As if she still had a sliver of hope inside her. One that was about to be destroyed.


    Of course, it was all acting, but to a bystander who couldn''t see past Xu Jiaqi''s perfect acting, it was as if the true Ariel Maine was still here. Aligned with her character, the only difference being that Xu Jiaqi tweaked it towards the negative side.


    "A crazy daughter born from a crazy sow." Reginald coldly spat out.


    Xu Jiaqi stayed silent for a few seconds, her head slightly lowered.


    "...This lady understands. This lady had formerly hoped that the Esteemed Lord would have even a shred of humanity yet, but it seems like this lady has failed to remember that you are an utter piece of trash that shouldn''t be allowed to be addressed as a human." Xu Jiaqi chuckled lowly, no longer sparing any glances towards the man and leaving for the door. "Come with me, Zenith Ahgren. You are now in this lady''s hands." she added.


    Zenith was pissed and immediately snapped his head towards Ariel, but what he saw was an unexpected sight. Xu Jiaqi had an even more frustrated expression on her face, as if she was going to break down if she was pushed just one step further. She was on the verge of breaking.


    Suddenly, he was silenced and no longer said anything else. He slowly walked along Xu Jiaqi''s lead. Although he still had anger in his mind, after seeing the state Xu Jiaqi was in, he suddenly couldn''t speak as well as he planned to.


    They walked together, separated by a one meter distance. Xu Jiaqi headed towards the carriage section of the mansion without stopping. However, she made sure that her message was fully conveyed to this future follower of hers.


    Se made sure to stand tall, kept her head up high, and walked with pride. Like this departure was her freedom, her key to getting out of the poisonous ranches that the Dukedom had trapped her in for years.


    This sight, combined with the bright sunlight that fell upon her body and increased her aesthetic ranges was firmly embedded inside Zenith Ahgren''s mind.


    He wanted to protest, but all his words were swallowed back in as he found himself unable to do anything else except for staring at the lady''s confident walk from behind. She was very calm and collected despite having learned about what hellhole pit she had been pushed into.


    But all of a sudden, this walk of hers stopped. She turned around to look at Zenith, to which Xu Jiaqi found that the man was still in a trance and did not respond right away. After mere seconds, he finally snapped out and looked at Xu Jiaqi in confusion.


    They were already nearing the carriage section. For what reasons could the lady have stopped here? Could it be, she wanted to turn back, and that all the show that he had seen were pretenses, mere facades?


    He was prepared to revive the full extent of his hostility once more, but he refrained from doing so. He wanted to see what the girl will do. No matter what, he had planned to abandon or kill her off and escape if he even felt a slight discomfort being with her. But because his interest was spiked up, he didn''t do it right away.


    He immediately got his answer in her words.


    "Zenith Ahgren. Before we depart, this lady wishes to speak to you. This lady.. doesn''t know what you have heard from the Esteemed Lord- my father, but this lady truly values you as a possible ally. This lady didn''t think of this matter.. being sent off to Palla as a depressing thing. Well, it would be a lie if my thoughts were completely positive. However, this lady does think that this is not a dead end to both of us. To both of our lives." Xu Jiaqi spoke.


    To Zenith, this was like a declaration of mockery. What ''not a dead end''? ''Not a depressing thing''?


    Obviously, this matter was selfishly decided by the lady. Duke Reginald had spoken that it was her wish to crush him down because he had offended her, which he linked with the time he grabbed her arm tightly.


    His anger levels began to slowly rise. His patience was being tested with each second the lady was staring at him with innocent eyes, like she did not do anything wrong.


    "Zenith Ahgren. Although this lady might not seem to be much, this lady promises you that so long as you follow me, you will be granted a good life, and will soar to the heavens. It might take some time, but this lady does not make empty promises. Dedicate yourself to me, and you shall be risen from the ground." Xu Jiaqi spoke with a calm tone, as if there was nothing in the world that could bother her in the slightest.


    With slow steps, light as a feather, she walked towards Zenith and reached for his hand. In reflex, Zenith swatted her touch away, but instead of backing off, Xu Jiaqi resolutely gripped his hands, which was bigger than hers by double the size.


    Indeed, the cold, sheer energy poured in from the touch they shared and went into Xu Jiaqi''s body without stop. The rush was very hard to control, and her knees almost gave out on her because of how strong the jolt was.


    She let out a small moan of pleasure, but suppressed it as much as she could by muffling her sounds.


    Xu Jiaqi: Gege, I''m weak~!

 Chapter 52 - 2.13

    Zenith could only hear a short whine before Xu Jiaqi coughed and looked at him in the eyes. The girl was much shorter than him, so he had to look down.


    He did not expect that the lady would go into such close premises with him, to the point of mashing their bodies together.


    The magical energy Zenith presented her with was extremely intoxicating. It made her want to rub herself all over the man, but of course that would be crossing the legal lines. After mooching off the magical energy as much as she could, Xu Jiaqi detached herself from the man.


    In that short instant, she already felt like her magic sense improved. This kind of overpowered cheat, she was left to wonder why it was allowed in the slightest and why such a gem appeared in the Maine lands, never to be discovered by the leads. Zenith had a strong potential to be a second male lead since he was a knight and had these beneficial effects.


    No matter what the reason behind it was, this human battery was now in her hands. It was a good thing.


    On the other hand, after Xu Jiaqi separated from him, Zenith was suddenly filled with a sense of loss that he wasn''t able to explain. Like something he had been longing for so long, something that filled him to the brim, was escaping his clutches and that he had to hurry and chase after it.


    Xu Jiaqi gave a smile of genuine happiness. "Come on, let us go. It''s time to depart. This lady knows that you have your grievances, but... please do store them for the time being and judge me as we go. If you are completely in opposition of the idea, then this lady shall allow you to leave. This lady can not do anything."


    Zenith did not respond, and Xu Jiaqi also did not bother calling him any further. She proceeded to continue her walk. Zenith followed, like his body was being dragged by a phantom force. He was confused on what he truly willed, and what he did not desire.


    Of course, this strangeness was detected by Xu Jiaqi, who raised up the claim to the System.


    ''System, something is wrong with that man. I don''t know why, but..'' For once, Xu Jiaqi was a bit disturbed. In the stories she had read, one that had the female lead be placed in a situation like hers, the male lead would consistently follow her around the worlds and cultivate feelings with her.


    Only after a few worlds would she realize the truth behind all her men, and that was when the story reached its climax. Some realized it early, and travelled through the worlds together, hand in hand, completing missions and gaining power as they go.


    This was a bad scenario to her. Something she wanted to avoid.


    [Zenith Ahgren, Host? He is just a denizen of this world, what do you think is wrong with him?]


    ''Something. I can just feel it.'' Xu Jiaqi replied, pursing her lips at how ridiculous she was being.


    Love was bad news. If she wanted to live in peace, she had to avoid it.


    Her soul itself said those words and implemented it inside her mind.


    She wasn''t scared of love. She wasn''t. She was sure of it.


    She just didn''t want to be caught up in the bundle of problems she would have to face. Last world, she made the man obsessed with her. Obsession was a frightening thing, not the love.


    With obsession, one could only imagine the heights they could climb just to get their loved one to be tied to them. Like how Qin Zicheng broke down when she left. She did not want her victim to follow her because there would only be pain.


    She could never feel love.


    She could never.


    Hence, rather than wasting time over her, she preferred if they just perished altogether, or went to a safer place where they would never have to meet her, a calamity to them.


    Even though the System insisted that nothing was wrong with Zenith, Xu Jiaqi still forced him to watch the man carefully. Not just his actions, but his very soul. It was hard for System to do such a thing because his authority was still in the lower levels, but Xu Jiaqi pleaded for him to do the best he could.


    If Zenith was truly made out of the same mold that is Qin Zicheng''s soul, and that he would undergo transmigrations the way she did, only without consciousness like it was depicted in stories, then she had to stop it now.


    While everything was still young, and the branches of feelings would be easier to snap off.


    The two of them got into the carriage. On the way to getting up the vehicle, they met the representatives from Palla, who had a peaceful smile on their face. However, their gazes conveyed the opposite message- scorn.


    Scorn towards Xu Jiaqi.


    This reaction was ignored by her, and she also held back Zenith, who wanted to remind the representatives of their place. ''Ariel Maine'' was still a noble, and their attitudes crossed the lines.


    Inside the cabin, the two did not talk much except for some small conversations. Zenith never spoke first, it was always Xu Jiaqi that questioned him.


    Sometimes, Zenith would refuse to answer the harder or more personal questions, drawing a clear line in their relationship and trust system. Xu Jiaqi did not get dejected from these things and continued on striking talks with the man, wanting to open his heart up.


    The journey would be long and grinding, so there was much time to spare. After staying awake and talking a lot, Xu Jiaqi''s weak body began to feel immensely tired and sleepy. It was hard to keep her consciousness open.


    Not long after, the body fell asleep despite Xu Jiaqi''s wishes to stay awake.


    She let out a soft sigh. This was heard by Zenith''s strong sense of hearing, as his head perked up to look at the lady, who turned out to be sleeping.. Her facial muscles then began to twitch, and there was a shallow frown made on her delicate face.

 Chapter 53 - 2.14

    A protective instinct immediately surged inside Zenith''s mind, and he approached her with kind intentions since she was sleeping in an uncomfortable position.


    He lurked, trying to keep his movements as quiet as possible. Alas, the rustles and creaks of the wooden carriage still caused Xu Jiaqi to wake up and open her eyes.


    The man''s blurred silhouette was planted into her eyes.


    "Mmn...? Zenith? Is there anything you need?" Xu Jiaqi mumbled, her drowsy eyes looking towards Zenith with a glazed front.


    Although her body was smaller than normal, her beauty couldn''t be ignored. It was as if the word Saintess was purposely defined to look like her. She was the embodiment of an angelic presence. An ethereal being that the world couldn''t touch.


    She was broken and hurt so many times, but not once had she let her heart be tainted. This was the impression Zenith got from her.


    Naturally, if the System heard this and he could speak out to Zenith, he would be complaining a thousand times over that Zenith''s mindset was completely wrong, and that he was fooled by his own Host.


    Of course, this was not possible.


    Zenith struggled to contain his mind in a stable state. He continued to go back and forth between wanting to be angry at the girl, feeling pity for her, and debating on whether or not she should trust this eccentric lady who offered him power in exchange for loyalty when she didn''t have anything to guarantee her victory.


    However, something about her truly made him shake. A boundless trust that was starting to sprout in him, motivated by nothing but his feelings.


    It wasn''t love, nor did it have any ties to romantic sensations. It was akin to finding a similar person like yourself, and finding a resonation occur. Harsh conditions, from where the two of them came out bloodily from, wanting to touch the heavens but couldn''t.


    They had ambitions, for power, for wealth, for glory. But it was so far away, not able to be climbed.


    He was wrapped in his own thoughts, not realizing that he had left his lady without an answer went on his own little mind journey.


    "Zen..?"


    "Zen.. Lady Ariel, are you referring to me?"


    "Of course this lady is. Who else is here in this carriage besides you and me? What a foolish question you are asking... This lady fell asleep, how much time has passed?"


    "..Less than half an hour, Lady. I was trying to reposition you to a better position since you were slouching over the door.. and you might hurt yourself if I let it slide." Zenith explained himself.


    "Hmm? Ah, this lady gets what you mean. Thank you.. you cared about my wellbeing." Xu Jiaqi smiled as she looked towards the window, looking at the scenery past the glass.


    "Come to think of it, this is my first time in years that this lady is going out of the Duchy. Isn''t it strange? There is no excitement or good feelings residing in my heart.. Nothing at all. But there is anger. An uncontrollable frustration."


    "Lady Ariel.." Zenith couldn''t find any words to reply her with.


    "Is it fine if this lady calls you Zen? Perhaps that would familiarize us better with each other. This lady won''t oppose if you wanted to call me by my first name. This lady.." Xu Jiaqi stopped in the middle of her words, her brows furrowing as she thought. "Well, I suppose I can''t call myself a lady anymore, can I? I shall drop the term. I have been thrown out of the Dukedom. My name will definitely be scratched out of the documents."


    "Lady Ariel, please do not say such things. Is it not you who said that you would bring me to soar to the heavens? In the future, you will be a proper lady, one that surpasses your own family." Zenith assured.


    He himself did not know why he began to say such things, when he didn''t even believe her words. He just didn''t want her, who shone a cold light in the middle of the darkness that she was showered with dim down.


    "Family? I have no such thing. All that I have is myself. All these years, I still had hope.. A lingering hope that I myself don''t even know where it came from. No one has ever treated me right, so why would I still hope for them to change their attitudes towards me? It is impossible.. The only thing that is possible is for me to change. To take control of everything myself. Do you think that it''s wrong for me to think this way?" Xu Jiaqi pondered on.


    "...No, Lady Ariel." Zenith shook his head. "You are just trying to protect yourself. It is completely understandable."


    "Is that right? I have never met someone who trusted my words other than Lily, but that girl also wishes for me to stay low to keep my life. I wonder how she is doing now? How far do you think we are to the destination? Lily told me.. we have to stop in an inn or camp in the woods at night, correct? Then, I shall not sleep now. Lest, I will not be able to sleep later." Xu Jiaqi laid back on the chair and raised her feet, placing the slender limbs on top of Zenith''s lap.


    The action made him blush. His heart beat faster as he looked up to find Xu Jiaqi''s playful eyes.


    "I want to hear stories. Talks, rumors, anything that would give me a clearer picture of the world. The maids never talk to me, and I can rarely leave my room if I don''t want to get into trouble. I am quite clueless of the world.. It''s an unexpected predicament." Xu Jiaqi spoke.


    The day was starting to darken, and Xu Jiaqi''s bright features, especially her eyes, seemed to shine like diamonds. Glowing in the dark.


    "Entertain me.. my knight, Zenith Ahgren.." Her voice rang like bells, tickling Zenith''s ears.

 Chapter 54 - 2.15

    Zenith stilled. Rather than focusing on the lady''s desire for him to entertain her, he was more focused on the reason why she uttered the order.


    Of course, the lady wouldn''t know much about what was happening. This was also when he started to trace his problem back to Reginald''s words with his own mindset. The Duke had spoken about how Ariel wanted to steal his position away because she was spiteful, but looking at the lady and imagining her conditions, the chances of her knowing that he was a high ranked knight was low.


    The lady herself also stated that Reginald must be out there to lie so that she would be cornered. Zenith was someone who liked to believe what he saw personally, and the lady that he had met was certainly not the coward that everybody stated. She only became a coward because the situation required her to be one, so that she would be a little bit safer.


    Of course, the pitiful lamb that was being led around by Xu Jiaqi did not know anything yet. Oh, how innocent he was!


    Taking this into account, Zenith complied with Xu Jiaqi''s wish. With her feet still placed on his lap, making him awkward, he started to try and dig out any stories he possessed inside his mind. He avoided major things like his upbringing and secrets, but as he spoke more and more, he found it easier to talk with the lady. He spun tales about all sorts of matters, his experiences.


    Xu Jiaqi would always respond perfectly, as if she knew just what his persona was, what he liked and disliked.


    Their peaceful time was well spent. That was, until danger approached, knocking on their door murderously.


    "AAAKK!" A shrill scream, one that they recognized to be their coachman rang.


    The two inside the carriage instantly became alerted. Before they were able to peek out of the carriage, the entire transport shook heavily. Xu Jiaqi, who lost her balance since her legs were on Zenith''s lap pummeled forward towards the man''s embrace.


    A fresh waft of bamboo scent attacked her nose as she got extremely close to the man. Then, a sharp jolt from Zenith''s energy transfer which she still hadn''t gotten used to. As much as the two of them wanted to savor this accidental moment, there was an elephant in the room. They were suffering under an attack.


    "Lady Ariel, we.."


    "Silence. We have to confirm who they are first. Whether they are just mere bandits or someone with a deeper intention. Could you go and take a look outside for me? I shall lend you my own power too if it''s needed. I am quite strong, you see?" Xu Jiaqi whispered, clutching on his clothes as she felt the strong rush of ecstasy pulse through her.


    With the amount of energy Zenith gave her, she was already feeling like the entire world was under her despite only having learned magic for a week.


    Zenith nodded at her words, opening the carriage door and getting off.


    With a loud voice, he declared. "Who is out there?! Show yourself and state your intentions! You are obstructing the carriage of Lady Ariel Maine, your sins of disrespecting her shall not be forgiven!"


    The opposite side did not respond, show up, nor did they taunt back. This was the first clear sign that it wasn''t a camper bandit. The bandits wished for wealth and wrecked carriages to pillage them, but they also loved to scare and terror their victims. Especially if they learned that this carriage was carrying a noble daughter, then they should be rejoicing more and exclaim louder.


    "So it is assassins. Then, Zenith, you are not the right match for them. I shall come down." Xu Jiaqi spoke.


    Zenith immediately covered Xu Jiaqi''s figure up, not wanting her to be discovered. "Lady, I can''t sense their presence. They must be skilled assassins. The representatives from Palla are dead, even though they shouldn''t be that weak. These people are not just normal killers, they are proper assassins."


    "I know. That''s why I said that you are a bad match for them. Do you think that you can track all of them down and kill them before they run away? If you face them, you will only end up escalating the story further. Leave it to me, trust my lead."


    Zenith was still unconvinced, but Xu Jiaqi was dead set on following through with her words, so she pushed through Zenith and got out.


    "I am Ariel Maine. I should be the one you are seeking. Are you here to capture me, or simply to kill?" Xu Jiaqi asked calmly.


    A dagger was thrown towards her way, aimed slightly beside her neck. Her long hair was pinned to the carriage door as a result, and a strong gust of wind passed her. A clear sign that they were not here to play, and would hurt her without batting an eye.


    "...I see. Very well, thank you for responding." Xu Jiaqi smirked. When she was in the carriage, she was actually locating down the assassins with the help of the System. When she got out and talked, she was silently casting spells. Aimed towards the heads of each assassins.


    Bang! Several loud shots were issued, and with each hit, one head was blasted.


    The fallen assassins created a fountain of blood that spilled everywhere, making the place reek of the deathly stench.


    Xu Jiaqi''s bloodthirsty eyes were fully captured by Zenith, who was standing by her side and looking towards the enshrouded forest that were now beginning to rumble with the collapsing bodies.


    Perhaps because the intel they received was just one girl, one knight, and two representatives from Palla, they didn''t think that they needed that much people to take care of the job. In total, Xu Jiaqi landed twelve blows, which were confirmed headshots by the System.


    It was not her first time killing people with her own hands, nor did she feel uncomfortable in entertaining the idea. She carefully closed her eyes, communicating with the System to confirm that the location was safe from here on out.


    After doing so, she opened her gleaming sapphire eyes. Due to using magic, there was a faint mist seeping out of her eyes, making the pair of organs glow even more.


    In the dark, she looked like a lioness who hunted her prey with absolute certainty.

 Chapter 55 - 2.16

    "..They are cleaned up." Xu Jiaqi let out a relieved sigh as she wasn''t fully confident that she was able to muster twelve shots at once, especially knowing that they could dodge or move out of the line of target. If she didn''t successfully hit all headshots, they could flee and bring back the dangerous information that is Xu Jiaqi''s power.


    Then again, she did waste a lot of effort and energy. She had trained herself in using offensive magic as well, but it was aimed towards one target or a couple, not twelve at the same time. She turned towards Zenith, who was still overcame with shock and grasped his hands.


    Xu Jiaqi: Time to recharge. Feed me energy!


    "Lady...?" Zenith''s eyes widened in shock as Xu Jiaqi latched herself onto him. Her small, soft body carried a faint, fresh flowery scent that he whiffed.


    "Just stay still for a few moments. Or do you loathe my touch that much?" Xu Jiaqi questioned, holding onto Zenith for dear life, although it was only pretending to be weak so that she could sort her thoughts first.


    "Of course not.. I-I  was just, a bit- shocked." Zenith stuttered.


    The cold energy started flowing in her body and filled her mana back up. She closed her eyes and let out an ambiguous moan. Since she was tired out, the energy this time seemed to rush in with much more vigor, making her sensitivity spike up and drive her mad.


    "...Zen, do you know how fucking useful you are?" Xu Jiaqi gave a thumbs up, looking at the man with satisfied eyes.


    Having heard the lady curse, and hearing her words, Zenith interpreted her meaning as something completely different.


    Sarcasm.


    His lady must''ve said that to him to poke at how he couldn''t contribute to the resolution.


    He did not do anything- no, he couldn''t do anything in this state that would achieve a perfect victory that his lady accomplished. He was useless! The lady was right. He lowered his head down, feeling frustrated and amazed. The lady was so strong, so why hadn''t she spoken out all this time?


    Reginald was someone who valued assets, and if he knew that his daughter was this powerful to be able to take out twelve people at once, even though the lady wouldn''t be placed as a prized noble daughter... She would''ve been given suitable work for her power and not just be neglected and left to rot.


    The lady''s deeds was not something a normal magician could do.


    Then again, the thought of his lady coming back to that bastard father of hers also made Zenith pissed.


    "Zen? Are you alright? You are spacing out..." Xu Jiaqi looked at the man with worry, snapping her finger in front of his face to attract his attention.


    Zenith became flustered and moved backwards, releasing himself from Xu Jiaqi''s soft grip on him. His face flushed red, and he immediately apologized. "L-lady Ariel, please excuse me for a bit. I am sorry for my incompetence." He said, and left for the other direction.


    He didn''t realize that his actions would have been misinterpreted by another as an abandonment, but because of Xu Jiaqi''s strong grip on people''s emotions, she recognized that the man was just not used to approaches and retracted to hide his chaotic mind.


    Unconsciously, she let out a small giggle. After checking that Zenith was headed towards a safe place and that he wouldn''t be injured, she contacted her System and became serious.


    ''The assassins.. Shall we check them out?'' Xu Jiaqi headed towards the forest, approaching one of the many corpses that she defeated.


    The assassins all wore tight black clothes from head to toe, only exposing their eyes through a narrow slit in the mask they wore. With a tug, Xu Jiaqi removed the mask.


    Of course, she couldn''t recognize the assassin''s identity. They had generic facial features, so there was nothing to pick up from just the appearance.


    ''It should be Maine''s enemies. Or my rival, a fellow Saintess candidate. But why now? This didn''t happen in the story, did it?'' Xu Jiaqi deduced, theorizing on the culprit.


    [In the original story, the Duke sent you off without letting you bring anything because Ariel was completely shocked and broken from the harsh outcome.. She did not speak any words. Being relayed the news of her own death near in the future. Naturally, the Maine Duchy''s enemies did not think much about Ariel, who was completely irrelevant. However, since this time, you boarded a decent carriage and even brought a knight from the First Order with you.. They think that you have an agreeable standing in front of Reginald. This should be it, if we take it from the original story''s perspective. This might have caused the change, Host.]


    ''..That does make sense. Damn. I thought that the fight would begin once we reach there, but never mind. It seems like the ones we have to face off are not only the Duke, nor is it the Palla''s power, but.. many more.'' Xu Jiaqi nodded.


    This assassination attempt shouldn''t be the only one to come.


    Either way, she couldn''t just reveal her powers right now since she would be too weak.


    ''What do we do about the corpses? How do we mask our power..'' Xu Jiaqi frowned. If this matter was relayed onto her enemy, and there was no feasible excuse that she could spread in time, then Zenith would be in danger too.


    They would target him because in their minds, this knight had the power to defeat twelve people. Xu Jiaqi didn''t think that they would immediately point her out as the one with power.


    [That.. Hmm.. how about you create a scenario?] The System thought for a while and said.


    ''By that, you mean?'' Xu Jiaqi questioned.


    [You fabricate that there was a stray guardian that protected you.. You push all of the achievements off to this nonexistent person, and gather a crowd that can testify for you.]

 Chapter 56 - 2.17

    [The guardian was passing by your carriage and saw that the representatives from Palla were killed heinously and that there was a lady in danger, so due to his good heart, he saved the woman and quickly left after being given thanks by the lady. He did not state his identity, but he was wearing a mask and a brown cape.. Well, something like that. If you tell this to the people in Palla once you arrive there, then you can twist the truth and shift the blame to this unknown guardian. The power of rumors and stories are very powerful, you know?] The System answered.


    Xu Jiaqi stilled. The System made a lot of sense.


    ''System, you are truly the best story maker I have encountered! Did you watch too many dramas? How come you can generate these kinds of plots in an instant?'' Xu Jiaqi raised a brow in amusement.


    This type of story was generic, but still believable since she was the only one who went through the incident. As long as she provide a substantial testimony to the people, then she would be able to fool them. She would also be able to act with flexibility.


    [Host.. I am someone who studies plots all day, it''s my job as a System. If I am not even able to do this type of thing, what am I accompanying you for?] The System sighed as he spoke.


    ''..Well, you''re right. It seems like I have seen too many useless Systems depicted in stories, so a smart little baby like you is very great to have~'' Xu Jiaqi complimented.


    Sometimes, the System could be braindead and unable to process what was happening, but most of the time, he was very cooperative and assisted her well. Unlike the Systems she learned about.


    In fact, what Xu Jiaqi did not know was that the Systems that she learned about actually existed in the world. Outright useless partners and trash helpers. It was just her System was a bit special, and he was devoted to his work and engaged in upright values and beliefs. Thus, naturally he would be helpful and supportive, despite the complaints and banters he would seldom try to have.


    She would only know this later on, as she grows to meet other Systems that work for specific tasks and had many diverse personalities. But for now, she was under the impression that all Systems were like this.


    ''Well, since we did a lot of thinking and fought hard today, it would be too harsh of a work if I cleaned the assassins up myself.. And I am also trying to emulate a weak figure, so I will leave the cleaning duty to Zenith, thank you very much!'' Xu Jiaqi clapped as she decided.


    [Host.. aren''t you just lazy? Don''t fool around, you are just reluctant because you will get tired.]


    ''Of course! If I was in a stronger body, it would be a different case, but do you know how weak Ariel Maine is? I can''t even run for more than three minutes before I am out of breath! This kind of body, if I cleaned the corpses up, won''t I be dead?" Xu Jiaqi complained.


    In a few minutes, Zenith arrived back. He had calmed himself down after a lot of mind exercises, and rushed back after realizing that he had left his lady alone by the carriage. What if anything happened to her? With that kind of worry, he ran in maximum speed.


    Thankfully, the lady was safe and sound when he got there.


    "Lady Ariel.. truly, my apologies. I had some thoughts that I needed to sort out. Are you alright? You are not harmed, right?" Zenith declared in a loud volume.


    "Yes, I am alright. Even if someone came to attack me, I would be able to protect myself, so don''t you worry. If you want to apologize, then please clean up the corpses around here. We can''t just leave them behind. They will leave an obvious trace.. Although I don''t know who our enemy is yet, we have to be careful with our movements."


    "Ah.. yes!" Zenith replied swiftly. He went inside the forest. After a minute or two, rustling sounds could be heard, along with tumbling noises that could be assumed to be dragged bodies.


    Xu Jiaqi waited for a few minutes as she began to brainwash her memories about what she should act about. The entire tirade was orchestrated by her and the System, and she felt like the scriptwriter of a soap opera.


    The more drama, the better it was..?


    After about fifteen minutes, a rather bloodied Zenith came out. He was drenched in a thin layer of sweat, which he wiped away as he walked.


    ''Ooh, quite swift. Fifteen minutes to take care of.. twelve people. He has some strength indeed.'' Xu Jiaqi evaluated as she watched the man fumble back to her side.


    "I have gathered them in one spot, what does the lady want to do with them? Shall I burn them?" Zenith asked.


    "No worries. Burning through the normal way will attract too much attention. I will incinerate them using my magic, it will be better. Have you seen a cliff.. Or somewhere we can throw them off around here?"


    "Ah, yes! I saw one to the north." Zenith replied. From his originally rather hostile attitude, he had grown a bit tame, which was in Xu Jiaqi''s favor.


    "Lead me there, please."


    "Yes, Lady Ariel." Zenith bowed before he led the lady towards the pile of bodies first.


    When he was away, he had actually explored the forest that they were in and even met some animals that he hunted down to be turned into food. He also found a cave that they could reside in before they continue their journey in the morning.


    Thus, they were practically all set for tonight''s shelter. The only problem was the young man''s palpitating heart.. His thoughts were all over the place.

 Chapter 57 - 2.18

    Since they were about to spend the night in the cave, won''t it mean that he had no choice but to sleep within a very close distance with the lady? The cave was narrow, and there was not much space to host one people, let alone two. However, it was in a secure place, and if they did choose to be there, they would definitely last the entire night without disruptions.


    He definitely had to get the lady to sleep there.


    After careful thinking, Zenith came to the conclusion that he would just stay alert and patrol the surroundings. Not only will he be keeping the lady safe, he would also not have to face the awkward situation of sleeping with the lady.


    One night with no sleep was not too much of a big deal! Compared to letting his thoughts travel everywhere..


    That won''t do.


    Determined, he brought her to clean the corpses up, then introduced the existence of the cave he found.


    "Lady Ariel, we can''t just stay out in the open. I found a cave that we could reside in for tonight.. Shall we check it out?" Zenith asked.


    "A cave? I do not know much about camping, so I shall trust and leave it all to you. Will that be alright?"


    "Naturally, Lady." Zenith nodded and brought Xu Jiaqi to the location he found earlier.


    Midway, Xu Jiaqi''s body was so overthrown by fatigue that she started to have trouble walking. Hence, she asked for the knight to carry her, to which he responded with a rather funny expression.


    It was quite delightful to tease him. Just like she teased Qin Zicheng in the previous world. Although, that man did retaliate towards the end, making her a bit troubled since she wasn''t used to being teased upfront.


    Memories, oh memories.


    Xu Jiaqi: Zicheng ge~ save me, I''m in danger! Wuaa!


    The exasperated System: Host, will it kill you to shut up for once? Besides, you weren''t innocent in the previous world! You led that man around like a snake and left him broken!


    Of course, he didn''t dare voice the thoughts as the Host could be very, very scary.


    Zenith did carry her to the aforementioned place. Along the way, he commented on how light Xu Jiaqi was. That she definitely needed to strengthen and take care of her body more. Like how a father would tend to his daughter, Zenith made up a resolution to feed her more in the future so that she wouldn''t be this weak. The years of suffering under the Maines couldn''t continue forth now that she was salvaged.


    Upon reaching, he set up their living space with sleeping bags and utilities. With the ingredients from the surroundings, he gathered wood to make a large campfire and cooked for Xu Jiaqi.


    Zenith was extremely dexterous, and he was skilled in a lot of things. Within his range of expertise, one of them was cooking. Thus, the victimized animals that Zenith caught ended up being turned into tasty skewered dishes that Xu Jiaqi enjoyed and filled her stomach with.


    They also parked the carriage in front of the cave so that they could leave right after waking up.


    After the sky became darker and darker, whilst the moon shone brightly, it was time for Xu Jiaqi to sleep. The body was slowly drifting to sleep again no matter how hard Xu Jiaqi resisted the temptation.


    Xu Jiaqi entered her space and used the sleeping bag to cushion her rest. She closed her eyes, fully knowing that the man was definitely not going to sleep. One of her eyes was left open as she watched the man pace back and forth in front of the cave, probably thinking about how he would spend the rest of the night.


    A sneaky smile appeared on her face, as she prepared to launch her attack on the man, desiring to see his flabbergasted face.


    "Zen, why aren''t you going to sleep?" she asked with a sleazy voice, slurring some of her words.


    "It''s fine, Lady Ariel. I am not sleepy yet. Please sleep well." Zenith replied, a lodge stuck in his throat as he turned his gaze away from the lady''s sleeping figure. How come she didn''t hide anything at all? Did she not have a sense of shame?


    System: No, nein, nada. Shame doesn''t exist in Host''s vocabulary, unfortunately!


    "Zen.. Haa, come sleep with me. Surely you are not thinking of staying up all night, right? I know what you are worrying about, but rest those thoughts. I also have placed a barrier over the cave, so you shouldn''t fret about security. We will be well protected." Xu Jiaqi extended her hand, tugging on Zenith''s clothes as she pulled him towards her. She pouted, as if Zenith had done her wrong.


    The man turned rigid. "Lady Ariel.. This, a man and a woman sleeping together without-"


    "Sssh.. You need not worry about things like that. If I get tired tomorrow, and you are also tired, who is going to carry me around? Are you telling me to walk on my own two feet until they bleed? Heartless!" Xu Jiaqi placed her index finger over her mouth to silence the other, launching an unreasonable complaint.


    "N-no.. That''s not it. It''s just that it''s inappropriate.."


    "Just treat me as a fellow knight.. a comrade. That reminds me, in the future.. We will probably be doing a lot more inappropriate things, so make sure you get used to it early.. Lest you mess up later?" Xu Jiaqi giggled.


    "What?! More inappropriate things.. What.. what are you talking about, Lady??" Zenith freaked out. He did figure out that the lady was eccentric, but to think that she would go this far?


    "I said what I said. Now, will you rest? There''s two sleeping bags. Oh.. or perhaps, you wished to share the same sleeping bag as me? Although it would be suffocating, I don''t mind if its you, Zen.." Xu Jiaqi smirked mischievously as she opened her sleeping bag up as if to invite Zenith inside.

 Chapter 58 - 2.19

    "Besides, it''s not like we''re committing a crime, are we? Why are you so nervous about this? Could it be that.."


    This was the last straw. Zenith immediately quietened and took off his frontal armor to slide inside his own sleeping bag. He was not used to approaches, and rarely thought about anything else than trying to achieve better results and climb up to power as much as he could. Being teased like this repeatedly, it made his heart do some crazy exercises that made him think he carried a disease.


    Xu Jiaqi almost couldn''t contain her laughter as she saw the man turn his back on her and not say a single word. How could there be someone reacted so colorfully?


    The System who was watching this from above: Host, you are also incapable in loving others, who are you to speak in such a manner.


    "Tomorrow, we have to work a bit harder. We will spread a false rumor about what happened today when we reach a town. We definitely can not be pointed out as the assassins'' killer. It will just alert our enemy, and the next time they send troops, they will be much stronger than this round. At that point, we might truly be in heavy danger." Xu Jiaqi narrowed her eyes as she warned.


    Recovering from his shyness, the Knight too sensed his lady''s seriousness and made a sound of acknowledgement. "I understand, Lady Ariel."


    "Then, you too sleep well, Zen. Can''t have my knight yawning in the day!" Xu Jiaqi hid back inside her sleeping back, closing her eyes and gradually falling asleep, this time for real.


    Time seemed to be so fleeting when you fell asleep. You could be thrown into a long dream, one that definitely surpassed your real sleeping time. You could also be thrown into a short dream. Snippets of scenes that may or may not make sense.


    When you woke up, hours had passed, and you struggle to recall the contents of said snippets.


    The same thing happened to Xu Jiaqi. She dreamed about a man, which was very irregular of her to do.


    There was a man clad in loose robes, with a blurred face and a distorted voice. She did not know why, but her heartbeat sped up as she desperately ran towards the man. She felt a sense of longing for him, her ''soul'' missed this unknown figure dearly.


    But then, as she got closer and closer to him, the man was swallowed by a huge fire and disappeared into black ashes.


    Tears streamed down her face. Chaotic screams entered her ears, turning into loud buzzes.


    Seeing the man be set ablaze like that, it was as if her heart was torn apart into pieces. It left a gaping wound in herself, one that she reckoned she would never be able to recover for.


    ''...These dreams really have to stop. I may have been reading too much fantasy content.. I will cut back on those.'' Xu Jiaqi thought.


    But it seemed realistic. A large part of her denied any relation to said dream, brushing it off as just a mere hallucination that she ought to forget. But another part of herself, one that she hid carefully, stated that what happened was a fragment of her past, one that she currently did not have any cognition of.  It was terrifying. Like her mind got swallowed by the unknown. Like she was missing something important.


    Her head hurt a bit. She woke up, and Zenith''s figure showed up.


    "Zen, you are awake." Xu Jiaqi was also feeling rather unwell since the dream seemed to have lingering effects on her emotional state. She shook her head repeatedly to wring her attention away from the distressing imagery, but the figure of that unknown man kept popping up inside her head.


    "Yes, Lady Ariel. I''ve woken up early so that I could have prepared our breakfast ahead of time, and am ready to go whenever you are." Zenith replied as he held a plate of food with a serious face, making Xu Jiaqi sigh in relief and take the food gratefully.


    "Thank you for the meal." Xu Jiaqi said before digging into the food. As expected, Zenith was a spectacular cook no matter what ingredient he had in hand. Yesterday it was rabbits, and today it was bird meat, but none of them felt repulsive to her palate.


    Zenith then started to act weird, as if he had something to say but didn''t have the guts to spill the beans. It made Xu Jiaqi, who was originally enjoying the smoked bird meat start to become uncomfortable.


    "..Zen, is there something you need to say? Do tell me, you shouldn''t be moping about like that." Xu Jiaqi interrogated.


    "That.. Lady Ariel, when you were sleeping, you seemed to have had some.. Pardon me for being nosy, but you looked extremely burdened. You also shed some tears, but I didn''t dare to wake you up. Are you alright, Lady?" Zenith expressed his concern for the woman after hesitating a lot.


    "Don''t fret much about it. It''s probably just one of my many dreams. It just happened to be a bad one today. It''s nothing special, but next time you think I''m having a nightmare.. you can wake me up from my slumber. I won''t get mad at you." Xu Jiaqi replied carelessly with a rather unpleasant tone, not wanting to recall the dream anymore now that she was distracted by the food.


    Zenith seemed to have taken the hint that the lady was aversive to the mention of her dream, so he nodded and shut up,  continuing to prepare their carriage for the take off. The two representatives of Palla''s corpses were stored inside the carriage, whereas today, the two of them would be sitting in the coach deck.


    Xu Jiaqi huffed a tired sigh. It was still early in the morning, and she was already feeling a heavy burden. She gave a side glance to Zenith, and got an idea.


    Xu Jiaqi: Hehe.

 Chapter 59 - 2.20

    She moved closer to the man, scooting over to his side and sitting down. Zenith didn''t know how to respond, so he just awkwardly stayed still. Xu Jiaqi extended her little claws and leaned against Zenith. Immediately, his magic power came flowing into her, like a cold ice cream in a hot summer day that made her feel refreshed.


    (A/N: Qiqi, you know what would be a tastier ice cream? The d- No no no, we are a family friendly group. Right?)


    Xu Jiaqi finished her meal and the recharging also made her mood improve slightly. She got off the rock where they sat and stretched her body, smiling at Zenith. He was still unaware of the energy he possessed and the effects he had on Xu Jiaqi, so he was totally clueless as he stared at her in confusion.


    Xu Jiaqi didn''t explain anything and changed the topic to their plans onwards.


    Zenith did have experience in controlling a carriage, so he wasn''t all too worried about it. The horse that drove the carriage wasn''t killed in yesterday''s confrontation, but it was given a sedative needle that made it stop moving for a while. After a good night''s rest and some care, the horse was already ready to go albeit being a bit frightened. The horse was calmed down a lot by Zenith, who seemed to have a natural knack for literally anything.


    This horse was just a random horse picked to bring them to Palla, there was nothing special with it. However, under the care of Zenith, it seemed to have given birth to a bond that the two creatures learned to share somehow.


    "Let us depart for a nearby town and give the two corpses to them. Although I don''t really like the people of Palla, we are not in a position where we can just ignore the weight of their authority.. for now. So we will put up a play, we will honor their deaths and condemn our assassins. We will play the victim thoroughly and speak of an unmentioned guardian that saved us from demise." Xu Jiaqi explained as she got up the coach deck, followed by Zenith who picked up the horse''s reins.


    They set off for the nearest town carrying two dreadful corpses in the back. As they drove the vehicle, Xu Jiaqi further elaborated on the plan, making sure that Zenith would be able to keep up the act and wouldn''t slip later on.


    When they arrived at the city, they were naturally questioned. The guards could smell a strong stench of blood and death, so they were overly suspicious at these two people.


    "Halt!" The two guards simultaneously brandished their spears to create a cross, preventing the carriage from passing through. "You two seem to.. reek of blood. State you identity, purpose, and answer our questions if you want to enter the town!"


    Instead of panicking, Xu Jiaqi barred Zenith off from speaking and got down the carriage. She went closer to the guard and whispered with a clear and crisp voice.


    "My name is Ariel Maine, the daughter of the Maine Duchy who is set to go to Palla for the Saintess candidate position. The man there is my knight. We are in danger, so we ask for you to keep our arrival as a secret for the mean time. We don''t know if they are still tailing us, but they should all be killed by now. In the back, there are two bodies of the Palla representatives that were killed in the struggle. I sincerely request the help of a superior in this town. The Maines will not forget about the kindness if you cooperate with us."


    Xu Jiaqi made sure that her speech was filled with grace and elegance so that the guard would fall into the play. She also showed parts of her intricate features. Thankfully, she did carry a similarity with the all famous Duke Reginald Maine.


    There was not much who knew of Ariel Maine''s existence in the first place. However, the most important thing is that they will not be aware of Reginald''s unjust treatment towards this noble lady.


    As long as Xu Jiaqi was able to convince them that she was a noble, the civilians of this small town would not be able to resist or ignore her orders that easily with how much importance the empire placed on noble lineages.


    The guard''s gaze turned serious upon hearing the mention of nobility, in addition to Xu Jiaqi''s convincing act as a prim and proper noble lady. He kept his eyes on the pair as he drew backwards to speak to his other colleague. He seemed to be considering Xu Jiaqi''s words and its integrity. After a few sessions of back and forth debate, the two guards finally directed the carriage to the side, wanting to check it with some more people.


    After waiting for some time, a robust man came to approach them with hasty steps.


    "A noble, you say?" His eyes bulged out, extremely shocked at the appearance of someone like a duke''s daughter in a small town like this. He asked his subordinate in disbelief.


    "Yes, captain. The hooded girl claimed that her name is Ariel Maine, and she is the rightful daughter of the Maine Duchy.. Whereas the man is her Knight. Apparently, inside the carriage would be two corpses.. Both came from Palla as representatives to seek the lady out." The guard reported to who seemed like the person in charge for the infantry of this town by looking at his badges.


    The man took one glance at her, then one at Zenith. Then, he immediately widened his eyes in shock and surprise.


    "This one greets the Lady of Maine. My name is Alvarez, this town''s Knight Captain. It''s a pleasure to meet you!" Alvarez made a tense salute, bowing down in a ninety degree position to show his utmost respect.


    The guard that brought him here immediately raised a brow in doubt.

 Chapter 60 - 2.21

    "Wait.. Captain, how can you be sure that she is the real deal? She could just be an imposter, right?" The guard who brought him here questioned.


    It was hard to believe that the daughter of a Duke would come this far.


    The Captain immediately sighed as he scolded the guard.


    "You stupid kid! Can''t you tell? Come and state it for me, what are the qualifications to become a First Order knight in a Duchy?"


    "Y-you have to possess strength and exemplary aptitude for the role, and you have to have backing.. like being a noble or a descendant from a renowned family.. Right?" he answered.


    "Wrong! You are wrong! That knight right there is named Zenith Ahgren! For mere civilians like us, he is an extreme anomaly. He is a knight from the First Order, serving the Maine Duchy! Indeed, what you said is not completely wrong. To be a high noble''s knight, your backing needs to be good. But this man, he climbed up there using his dedication, he came without a status! He is someone who deserves our respect." The Captain stated.


    The subordinate understood the story and began paying respects to them as well. He also knew Zenith''s name, but had never seen how he looked like, so he didn''t recognize him at first glance. He apologized for the disrespect, which Xu Jiaqi dispelled with a kind smile.


    "You''re being praised. How great of a day this is!" Xu Jiaqi chuckled, nudging her elbow at Zenith''s arm.


    Zenith was more embarrassed than anything. He did appreciate glory, but when someone boasted about him right in front of his face, it was a bit hard to handle. His face wasn''t thick enough to accept the compliments without feeling humble, unlike Xu Jiaqi.


    "It''s a pleasant surprise that you know my knight. Alvarez, was it? Could you lead the two of us to somewhere we can discuss privately?" Xu Jiaqi asked.


    "Of course, Lady Ariel. You all, disperse! I will handle this matter by myself!" Alvarez led the two and the carriage to a secluded area.


    They entered a small wooden cabin, and sat down by a table.


    "Lady Ariel, the coast is clear now." The Captain reported.


    "En, well done. I want to entrust you with a task. It''s a very pivotal quest. Will you be willing to take it? It won''t burden you too much, and I will definitely remember your kindness." Xu Jiaqi spoke gracefully.


    "May I please know.." The Captain was a bit hesitant since he didn''t have the context needed, but was also intimidated by a high noble.


    Xu Jiaqi quickly worked to disperse his worries.


    "I want you to spread the news of my arrival here, and my story to other people outside of this town. The catch is that.. I want you to start this task after I leave this place. I will not stay here for long, perhaps only after tomorrow. However, I truly need my story to be spread out. The details, make sure they aren''t skewed. Are you capable of doing this?"


    "O-of course, Lady Ariel!" Alvarez was shocked that the quest was surprisingly very simple. He readily agreed.


    Xu Jiaqi displayed a brilliant smile and then asked to be taken to a crowded place, to introduce her to townspeople.


    She visited the town center, where there was a large fountain placed in the middle of a stone paved circle.


    She sat down, and let Alvarez collect some people to form a hearing.


    After there were enough people, Xu Jiaqi nodded in satisfaction as she coughed and began prepping up her stage.


    "Greetings, everybody. You must not be familiar with me. This lady''s name is Ariel Maine, and I have come to this town to seek temporary shelter. There was a great disaster that I went through before reaching this place with great efforts. Could you please care to hear my story for a short while?" Using a volume maximizer spell, Xu Jiaqi spoke loudly.


    Murmurs started surfacing in the crowd, as they wondered what the girl had to say. Xu Jiaqi donned a sad expression, and with her beautiful visage, it increased her potent charm.


    Xu Jiaqi took a deep breath before further polishing her act.


    "Yes.. it was a very tragic incident." Xu Jiaqi began to furrow her brows, and started to choke up with tears. "I.. This lady was heading towards Palla to embrace a joyful fate, but who knew that there would be people with malicious intents that wanted the life of this one?"


    Public speaking was her forte, and although she didn''t like to draw pity incessantly, she was capable of doing so in a stellar manner.


    "The two representatives.. Although we had only spent a couple hours with them, this lady could tell that they were kind spirits, they definitely did not deserve to die! We encountered these infidels.. these wretched mongrels that almost injured the both of us.. but fate was luckily on our side."


    The crowd''s voice soared with gasps, expecting the next part of the story to come quickly in order to satiate their thirst for the ending. Xu Jiaqi''s storytelling capability was so exquisite that her words could draw in the attention of many and leave them desiring for more even though it was just a simple story.


    "We encountered a strong warrior who had a... mask on, and wore a black robe. His figure was gallant, and his movements were swift! He obliterated the enemies for us, but before we were able to confront and thank him, he disappeared into the unknown.. It is such a shame. A talented warrior like him, he definitely deserves glory for his great deeds. It was only due to him that this lady''s small life was preserved." Xu Jiaqi tearfully ended her speech, heaving as if telling the story made her exert a great effort to not break down this very instant.


    Xu Jiaqi spun a heroic tale with the help of the System''s dramatic and creative mind.


    Xu Jiaqi: Fall, fall into my acting!

 Chapter 61 - 2.22

    The people were moved with Xu Jiaqi''s charm and eloquence. She was a brilliant orator, and her words were believable. As if she truly experienced the events like the way she told it through her story.


    "That.. is such a miserable encounter. Oh dear.. The Goddess must have a special reason for your troubles.. Young girl, you have done well coming here! Feel free to drop by my house, I will offer you up a room!" One old woman spoke up within the crowd, and this one voice started the spark of several others, which soon turned out to be a harmonized chorus of the people singing words of pity and sympathy towards Xu Jiaqi.


    Indeed, she felt like she deserved the title of ''Best Actress''. If it didn''t belong to her, who else could challenge her to the title?


    She smirked and gloated internally, bickering with the System who criticized her overly confident and smug attitude. No one would be inside her head to hear it except for the System, however. They were all successfully impressed by Xu Jiaqi''s act.


    As she answered questions and received good words, one person came out of the crowd and approached her with happy steps.


    "Miss noble lady! Please have this flower and cheer up. Lola doesn''t know what you mean entirely, but she really likes your hair! It''s shining and silky smooth.. Lola is learning how to braid her hair, could you let her braid yours sometime?" A little girl named Lola approached Xu Jiaqi and gave her a small bouquet of poppy flowers tied with a loose rubber.


    The mother of this girl immediately panicked. The girl was innocent, so she probably didn''t know the disparity within things like caste hierarchy and such. Speaking was one thing, but directly giving items was another thing. There could be danger in even the simplest of actions, and towards a noble, people without status like them had to act extremely carefully.


    Of course, Xu Jiaqi was not someone who cared about such a thing, so she readily patted the child''s head and accepted the flowers.


    "Naturally. Hmm, that being said, big sister has to go to somewhere far first. She has an urgent task to do, so could you wait until one day.. this big sister meets you somewhere? Then, I will let you braid my hair. Is Lola patient? Could she do that?"


    "Mmmm.. Okay! Lola understands, mommy also says that daddy is busy somewhere out there, but she says that he will always love Lola! No matter how old Lola gets, Lola likes styling people''s hair a lot! Lola will style your hair!" Lola exclaimed, nodding as she skipped back to her mother who were furiously apologizing towards Xu Jiaqi and Zenith.


    Xu Jiaqi shook her hands, stating that what Lola did was completely acceptable. Judging from the girl''s words, Lola seemed to be a child raised by a single mother, with a missing father whose location or life was unknown. Or else, her mother wouldn''t have spoken such abstract words.


    After getting to know the people a bit more, and having a longer, more complete rest in the town, they were ready to continue their journey to Palla. They were now well fed, including the horse. They  probably only needed to stop one more time before their journey would be ceased.


    By that time, Xu Jiaqi would have to face a much more unpleasant enemy- everyone involved in Palla''s corrupted power.


    In the end, for the night, Xu Jiaqi chose to stay over at Lola''s house. Lola''s mother was cautious, but soon warmed up after seeing Xu Jiaqi interact with her daughter as if the status barrier was nonexistent.


    She gave Xu Jiaqi great hospitality. After communicating a bit more, Xu Jiaqi made the ultimate decision to also make this woman one of her pawns in this game.


    The same task that she gave to the Captain was given to this mother, whose name was Lucy. Although at first, Lucy was a bit wary and unwilling, she soon gave in and promised to spread the word the way Xu Jiaqi wished for it to be.


    With the correct seeds planted, Xu Jiaqi was ready to set off to Palla. She had earned enough trust from the town and would be able to garner sufficient vouches from them.


    The day passed and turned into night. Since Lucy''s house was not that large, she only had one spare room that she could lend to the pair of newcomers. There was also only one bed.


    Xu Jiaqi''s cheeky mind began to tease Zenith again.


    "Zen~ why don''t you share a bed with me? Treat me like I''m a rock, it''s so that you can sleep in comfort!" Xu Jiaqi proclaimed.


    However, unlike before, where the knight would succumb to her words after a few relentless pushing, Zenith stubbornly chose to sleep on the floor and even went as far as to sleep before her eyes. He did not wish to fall into her words and get swayed any further.


    Thus, Xu Jiaqi could only click her tongue and wallow in failure!


    The next morning, Xu Jiaqi and Zenith immediately packed up and wanted to continue their journey to the next stop. They parted ways with the townspeople after making sure that they were all well endowed with the story Xu Jiaqi wanted them to tell.


    "Actually.. I think we should just scrap the carriage altogether. It would ease the horse''s comfort a bit.. and I want to try riding a horse as well." Xu Jiaqi said, placing her hands on her hips as she removed the horse''s straps to the carriage and set it free. "At least they gave us a healthy horse. We can get to Palla with him, no?"


    "Yes, Lady Ariel." By this time, Zenith was already starting to get used to Xu Jiaqi''s unabashed words and just silently agreed to her proposal.. Signs of trust was already starting to build up inside him.

 Chapter 62 - 2.23

    "Then, everything is settled. Let us part off with this town. Do you think we have everything we need?" Xu Jiaqi asked.


    "I''ve checked it multiple times, and I also procured a map from the knights'' resources. There is a town not far from here, so we could make a stop there. After that town, it should be a two day journey to Palla.. Ah, Lady, you are fine with taking shortcuts from the main road, right?" Zenith explained the pathway they were going to take, letting their finger trace over the roads drawn on the map''s surface.


    Although originally the estimated time was one week, because they were going to scrap the carriage and take shortcuts, the length was reduced to just four to five days.


    "Naturally. I just want to get there, the method isn''t that important to me. If only I could use teleportation magic, we would''ve been there in a flash.. but that''s nonsensical, right?" Xu Jiaqi chuckled as she was determined to learn that trash magic one day.


    Spare her butt from having to sit on a hard rock carriage all day long!


    "Lady Ariel is a talented magician, so I''m sure that you will get there." Zenith smiled as he assured her. After changing the horse''s reins to something more comfortable, Zenith assisted Xu Jiaqi to get on top of the horse.


    "Aha, you have that much faith already? Zen, you are so gullible. What if I''m tricking you as we speak?" Xu Jiaqi laughed.


    Zenith simply hummed, not replying this time. Xu Jiaqi was positioned in the front, while Zenith got on the back of the horse to secure the lady.


    Xu Jiaqi''s expression fell. Silent people were usually the most dangerous ones.


    They were sent off by the townspeople, who now more or less had a good impression on these two newcomers. Wishing everybody to be well, the pair began their travel to the faraway land of Palla.


    The horse galloped through the roads at a relatively fast speed, and Xu Jiaqi was also enjoying the windy terrain and fresh air from the nature.


    Then, she suddenly had a thought. About Zenith and her, in relation to the future occasions they were going to go through.


    "Zen.. Although I don''t exactly know which path we are going to take, I just want to ask you one simple question that you don''t have to answer right away." Xu Jiaqi''s lips curved up as she muttered in a low voice. She tilted her head upwards, and leaned her back against Zenith''s chest.


    The knight was distracted by the lady''s movements. For a second, he became hypnotized by her crystal clear eyes that seemed so bright, akin to stars in the night sky. Zenith gulped as he coughed to relieve the knot that was forming in his throat.


    "Yes, my lady?" Zenith asked.


    "If, one day, I will destroy the world with these hands.. will you oppose me and turn into my enemy?" Her starry eyes blinked at him, as if subconsciously trapping him in them. A trap that he was rather willing to fall into.


    There was a tug on Zenith''s heart as Xu Jiaqi launched the strange question. After thinking about it, and composing himself, he answered. "Everybody has their own reasons. I don''t think that Lady Ariel would just do such a thing out of boredom, so you must have your own reason to support it. I will decide after I hear the reason."


    Xu Jiaqi broke into a cheerful laughter as she straightened her back and turned around, facing Zenith.


    "The world is twisted, Zen. I don''t like it, so I am going to turn it around, make the world my canvas, and paint it with my colors. My views. Blood may become my paint, but if it is necessary, then I can afford anything. I am going to get stronger and somehow snatch all the injustices, gather them up, and destroy it. And you know where is one of the centers of these bad guys? It''s the place we are going to.. Palla''s churches." Xu Jiaqi narrowed her eyes as she looked at Zenith''s sculpted face, stretching her hand upwards to touch his features.


    Zenith''s heart skipped a beat. Although he wasn''t a devoted believer of Goddess Eula, it was a well known fact that the Holy Region of Palla held a massive support throughout the empire. If the lady''s words were spread to the people, then they would call her a blasphemer.


    When he thought about his lady being condemned by the society, he felt annoyed, but that wasn''t the point.


    He felt more frustrated at the thought of the lady being mistreated rather than dreading her plan.


    Xu Jiaqi ignored Zenith''s silence and continued to speak, knowing that he wasn''t in full denial of her words.


    "Say, Zen. I.. have a strong magic power, but that isn''t it. I have an enormous aptitude to the Holy magic. I won''t explain in detail, but Holy magic is very close to me in nature. I don''t hate Goddess Eula, nor do I hate the faith. In fact, I am a believer. I just hate the church, I feel disgusted at the people who commit monstrosities under the name of my Goddess and make use of the holy title to get away from punishment and law." Xu Jiaqi''s voice grew colder and colder as she spoke.


    She twirled around her hand, casting an array of Holy magic that shone bright, making Zenith close his eyes and slow down the horse''s pace in order to avoid falls.


    Internally, the System was cursing Xu Jiaqi again and again. Precisely because minutes before this, his Host consulted him about the story they were going to act on, and she insulted the Goddess saying that she might already be gone and that it would be better to get rid of the faith entirely.


    System: I have to live day in and day out with a hypocritical Host!

 Chapter 63 - 2.24

    Xu Jiaqi then winced in sadness.


    "Even so, it''s a shame that injustice is always going to sprout back up. No matter what we do. However, what we can do is try to contain it. If we can''t kill it for good, then we can just restrict it, and that''s what I am aiming to do. This task will be neverending until the world collapses. But I wish to.. create a place where this injustice is well contained, and at the very least, the foundation of everything will be kept clean." Xu Jiaqi spoke about her aspirations.


    "Of course, I''m not a savior, but.. I just want to keep this world alive a little bit longer. Even after I die. If a maniac like me doesn''t try to make change happen, no one else will dare to do it." Xu Jiaqi scoffed. "Only a daredevil who has nothing to lose would. And I am such a person, I have nothing to lose. I''m tired of what the world has become."


    "Even if this body is marked with bloody wounds, and I am torn apart inside out, I will just try to fulfill this damned dream." Xu Jiaqi ended her speech.


    Zenith was still in trance, and the horse that had been galloping in an extreme pace until just minutes ago was now fully stopped. Under the bright sunrays, the two sat down on the horse''s back, enshrouded by the lush and breezy forest. They faced each other, and were simultaneously trying to figure out a thing or two about themselves.


    "Lady Ariel.." Zenith admitted that the lady''s dream was a bit outstretched. It was hard to say that he agreed with her because of how grand those intentions were.


    Surely, not only the lady had those thoughts. He too had once complained to himself about how corrupted and cursed this world had become. How strong people often misused their conditions to obtain whatever it was they wanted instead of helping the weak.


    There were many fake philanthropists, nobles that were acclaimed by the people as kind and just. But behind their masks, these same people would show their fangs, their negative sides, and it would be just the same as anybody else. A twisted person that was hiding behind their social fame. They enjoyed being hailed as a hero even though they were secretly the very villains that people scorned.


    The world was filled with fraud and injustices, but for just one person to uproot them all would be nonsensical.


    Compared to them, his lady''s ideals seemed to be somehow more convincing, as foolish as it sounded. Perhaps it had something to do with her charm, but with her, Zenith felt like she might just be able to do it.


    There was an unknown force that seemed to speak to him, whisper sweet words with a melodious voice like a siren. Drawing him into her world.


    "I won''t force you to follow me, don''t worry. But like I said, until I die, I will do my best. Whatever the outcome turns out to be, I will just lodge my point to the world. At least, I won''t die before I achieve something considerable, something that would fan the flames of truth. I want to see the world burn, because only that would cleanse the dirt that has accumulated over all these years."


    "..I understand, Lady Ariel. I apologize, but I am not able to provide you with an answer right now. I will.. keep your aspirations as a secret." Zenith snapped out of the trance that consumed him and replied, deciding to take the neutral side for the time being as he didn''t have the courage to outright ally himself with her.


    "..Good. Now, let us continue marching forward. It will be bad if we couldn''t reach the next city in time." Xu Jiaqi stroked the horse as she turned around and faced the road again, leaving Zenith staring at her back with a complicated gaze.


    His hands gripped tight at the horse''s reins and pulled on it, continuing their journey once again.


    Hours were well spent travelling. They made a few stops to rest their body, as riding a horse can turn out to be extremely painful. Their seats were covered by a rather good saddle, but it still wasn''t enough to completely eliminate their pain.


    Even so, they still continued forth, because they wanted to reach the town that they marked on the map. There was only a little distance more until they could step inside the town.


    However, when they actually began to get near the city''s gate, they suddenly halted.


    "Zen.. People. Six.. no, seven of them. There might be more. They are carrying weapons. Perhaps.. we were tailed?" Xu Jiaqi whispered, detecting presences in the surroundings.


    Zenith nodded lightly. He also sensed these people, which was why he stopped.


    "If we were tailed, then they would''ve had a better opportunity when we were in the forest. There is no reason to confront us right here, where the city guards could discover the corpses of our aftermath if we were taken down." Zenith reasoned, and carefully led his horse one step at a time towards the gate.


    Rather than aiming to kill, it was like they were protecting the gate. There was also no guards stationed by the supposed gate, which was unnatural to say the least.


    One, two, three, the steps accumulated until they safely reached the gate. Their senses were heightened, wariness spreading through their minds as they tried to figure out who on Earth was trying to get their heads now.


    Just then, a sharp sound of cutting wind ensued.


    There was an arrow that shot past them. Due to their excellent reflexes, the shot didn''t hit, but the arrow that was now stabbed onto the ground was clearly aimed towards their heads.


    It didn''t stop there.


    Three more arrows were launched, and this confirmed the situation for both of them. In the case that there was a misfire, they would''ve been more cautious, but these folks clearly had negative intentions towards them.


    Then, they didn''t need to hold back any longer.

 Chapter 64 - 2.25

    "Zenith, their arrows don''t seem to be anything special. I''m thinking that they aren''t.. from the faction who sent people to kill us last time."


    "I also think the same, Lady. How do you think we should handle this?" Zenith questioned.


    "..We will capture them first and question their objectives. You can charge forward to distract them, I will shoot them down from here. You can do that, right?"


    "Yes, Lady. I will proceed with the plan, please give a sign for when you want to start." Zenith narrowed his eyes as he drew his sword. Even though he didn''t have magic, it still couldn''t be ignored that he was an exemplary knight who attained recognition through righteous means. He was very proficient with the sword and wouldn''t lose to just pure numbers.


    Zenith entered an attacking stance, and Xu Jiaqi got behind the horse to hide temporarily even if it wasn''t much. Zenith would be much more eye catching than a simple young girl who looked fragile and weak.


    "Attack!" Xu Jiaqi shouted, informing Zenith who began to dash towards the farthest person who he detected. This would lead to the other people being even more focused on his movements, and leaving Xu Jiaqi the chance to shoot them down.


    Xu Jiaqi prepped her magic and launched bullets towards the attackers, making sure that it wouldn''t kill them. However, even without her magic, Zenith alone turned out to be enough. He slashed the blunt part of his weapon and hit the opponents one by one, taking them down to the ground.


    Xu Jiaqi''s magic bullets ended up just being extra help that was unnecessary. The collapsed people were then rounded up by Zenith, who tied them with a thick rope to a tree so they wouldn''t escape.


    "Great job, Zen."


    "I should be able to do at least this much, or I will lose all of my honor and dignity." Zenith answered calmly, humbling himself down.


    Indeed, looking at their clothing, they weren''t even wearing armor, and their bows were basic.


    There was no way that they were assassins. It would be an embarrassment to the assassin occupation to say that they were.


    The two of them stood in front of the captured guys. Xu Jiaqi then healed their fatigue so that they would be able to wake up and answer the questions. In seconds, they really did end up opening their eyes and panning their eyes towards Xu Jiaqi and Zenith.


    "You.. You shitty bastards! How much more are you going to take from our city?? There is nothing left! Even if you try to pillage the people, all you will get is dirt! We are starving, close to death with broken homes, and you vile beings are still going to ransack our place?!!" One of the men, albeit very terrified, screamed on top of his lungs at the pair as soon as he saw the two.


    Zenith and Xu Jiaqi looked at each other and immediately deciphered their words, interpreting it.


    "We do not understand what you are saying. We have just arrived from the neighboring town and is seeking refuge because we need to rest before we continue our journey to Palla. We came from Maine, and just so happened to cross this city since it was displayed on the map." Xu Jiaqi explained.


    "Liars! We are not dumb! If you aren''t part of those groups, how are you here just one day after they left?! You should''ve met them when you were on the way here, they would''ve never let you go!" The man shook his head as he disputed the claims.


    In truth, Xu Jiaqi had done some tricks using her magic and concealed their figures. This was why even if bandits were there, Xu Jiaqi would be skeptical that they could hear them. Zenith, however, did not know this fact. By blocking the senses of the bandits, Zenith''s senses were also obstructed. Xu Jiaqi did remember that some people were flocking on their left paths back when they galloped through the forest, but she didn''t pay much attention to it since the System didn''t signal danger.


    Realizing that this was probably what happened, Xu Jiaqi pursed her lips.


    She then leaned towards Zenith and relayed this fact onto him, to which the man widened his eyes and shook his head disapprovingly towards Xu Jiaqi for doing such a thing.


    After considering the situation and weighing out their options, it seemed like the attackers were clearly townspeople who were just trying to protect their town after having been terrorized by a pack of bandits. Then, it was reasonable for them to have been on guard and ended up attacking them, sort of.


    Although, Zenith was still very pissed at how they tried to harm the lady.


    "Lady Ariel, I will handle this. I am a knight, so this kind of thing also relates to my job. There doesn''t need to be violence. Please do not worry and stay here." Zenith spoke, eyeing the tied up people as he crouched down and began to speak to them.


    Zenith conversed with the anxious bunch, trying his best to diffuse the situation and try to figure out why they were so pressured and scared at the appearance of a newcomer. Granted, they came rather late at night, but that shouldn''t completely justify their outlandish reactions.


    Thus, Zenith tried to compromise with them to reach an equilibrium that the two parties can both attest to.


    In the end, Zenith came back bringing good news.


    "Lady Ariel, I have persuaded them to let us stay here for a night, but they asked us if we could take down the bandits for them." Zenith spoke.


    The pair looked strong, at least they were stronger than the ones who were supposedly ''guards'' of the town.


    Rather than a town, it resembles more of a village. It was prone to bandit attacks, so it seemed.


    It was quite the unfair trade. They would have to face many enemies just to stay inside the town for one day.


    Xu Jiaqi was teetering between the realm of good morals and just plain desire to elevate herself.

 Chapter 65 - 2.26

    "Lady, what do you think about this agreement? It does seem like we would be wronged, but I think that.."


    "Zen, you have a good heart. But you can''t forget that I simply desire to achieve what I want to achieve, and I want to rush it." Xu Jiaqi spoke, her eyes narrowing down at Zenith.


    "However, lady... is it not right that we offer them help if we want to build trust? Perhaps, in the future, we could gain these people''s assistance, make them owe us." Zenith frowned as he tried to persuade her.


    Xu Jiaqi stretched her arm upwards, trailing her fingers along his face, his neck, and stopping at his chin. She raised his chin up slightly, suppressing him with magical energy so that he wouldn''t be able to resist.


    "Zen, you are smart, you have the ability to think sharply. Do I seem like someone who would just accept every single person who wants to ally themselves with me? Do you think that they would be of use to me in any sort of way? They are weaklings, and no matter how high they climb up, they would not amount to much. What they achieve in years, I can achieve in weeks. Do you get what I mean?" Xu Jiaqi chuckled darkly, showing an unimaginable side of her that Zenith was taken aback by.


    Xu Jiaqi kept the same position for a few seconds before dropping the hold and smiling sweetly.


    "Naturally.. I''m just joking. I wanted to see where your thoughts would break in. It''s just bandits... Actually, we should just go and beat them up today so we can progress with the journey tomorrow. You go take care of the things inside the town. I want to see everything arranged once I come back." Xu Jiaqi''s tone grew several levels colder as she began to walk away from the site, not heeding to Zenith''s exasperated calls from behind.


    "Do not follow me, this is a test for you." Xu Jiaqi strengthened her claim as she disappeared into the forest.


    Surely, Zenith must''ve noticed the extreme change that Xu Jiaqi went through. And the System also did notice it. His Host was strangely.. in a trance, and had a bad expression. Her thoughts were unknown, but she was walking towards the bandits'' camp which she traced using her magic with bloodthirsty eyes.


    The System felt an instinctive fear overcome itself. It watched in silence as Xu Jiaqi walked, snapping her fingers ever so often along the way. Then, when she entered the bandit camp, she whistled.


    "I''m not in a good mood, I''m very disappointed at him." Xu Jiaqi clicked her tongue.


    What benefit would they get from helping these people? There was a limit to stretching her grace. She wouldn''t act evil towards these people, but it didn''t mean that she wanted to help them. There was no reason she had to, they yielded her nothing important, nothing that she could use.


    As cruel as she is, it was what her principles were. And it wasn''t going to get changed for a very long time, at least until someone or something could inspire her enough to do so.


    Xu Jiaqi created a sword out of ice and pierced the bandits'' bodies. There were about fifty people in the camp, but none of them stood a chance to Xu Jiaqi. When she stabbed her sword into the body of one bandit, the others rushed to charge at her, thinking that she would be defenseless since her weapon was stuck in the body.


    However, she then manifested a magic bullet at a rapid speed, blasting their heads of and bursting their brains into pieces. It was a one sided massacre committed by an angelic looking child.


    "I don''t like people like Zenith. They disgust me. It''s like.. a worm is crawling inside me. I can''t shake the feeling off, it bugs me too much. So you guys will have to be my punching bag.. My apologies, I simply can''t take the thrill of killing others, I can''t contain the stimulation I feel~" Xu Jiaqi picked up a detached arm and played with it, but she ended up getting blood on her face. She swiped the blood away from her face.


    Even if she bathed in a pool of blood, she didn''t mind that much, but her face was now dirtied. She spat saliva to the dead corpse.


    "Fucking dirty vagrants can''t even die cleanly." Xu Jiaqi cast water magic over herself, cleaning her body and purifying herself.


    She didn''t know where her murderous and crazy traits surfaced from. She had a feeling that these traits were already laid down deep within her heart even in the first world, but it was awakened and spiked up when she entered the world.


    All she knew was that it had something to do with her past memory, and that she wanted to avoid whatever was happening at all costs. Submerging herself with blood was one of the ways to do that. Run away from all the crippling abyss that she hovered over.


    Xu Jiaqi was never a mentally stable person.


    She was a lunatic, if you dared to describe her as that. Like a part of her was missing, she never felt truly in tune with the world, and would very easily be drawn to sadistic or cruel tendencies if it meant that her heart would be stimulated. This was in line with her mundane and perfect life, which she built until nothing could be more perfect than the outcome she would reach. Even so, she didn''t feel satisfied just yet.


    A lunatic''s desire sprouted inside of her, sparking fire and explosions left and right as she lived her life.


    The reason she loved fantasy worlds was not only because she would be able to use mystical powers, but also because.. of the things she could do with the power and get away for it. For example, mercilessly killing people like this. Her prey showed pure agony and terror when she slowly ended their life, not letting them escape and instead having to wallow in despair.


    Such was Xu Jiaqi, the crazy Host that the System picked without knowing.

 Chapter 66 - 2.27

    As the System watched his Host go ballistic, he suddenly doubted itself. Did he choose the wrong Host? Insanity. That was all he could see inside the Host''s eyes right now.


    He also held an emotional meter in his hands, where he was supposed to be able to monitor the Host''s feelings. And yet, the meter depicted a blank slate. That would indicate that the Host wasn''t feeling anything at the moment, but how could that be the case? She was killing others, yet she didn''t feel anything?


    The System lamented the case. Sadly, his authority was reset when he contracted Xu Jiaqi. If he wasn''t bound to a newbie Host, then he could pry into Xu Jiaqi''s records and database, seek what the anomaly was within this soul. However, since he was deprived of that ability, he could only watch in fright as the Host hummed a joyful song.


    Did he accidentally awaken a beast? A beast, a devil that was supposed to die and not be revived? Did he just make the largest mistake ever?


    "..The moon looks faintly red tonight, is it just my eyes?" Xu Jiaqi rubbed her eyes as she looked towards the bright moon that was supposed to be white, but was somehow stained with red, as if marking her killing spree tonight.


    System: You got filthy blood in your eyes. You deserve it. Congratulations!


    Xu Jiaqi had just finished one sidedly killing fifty or more heads.


    "..Ah, whatever. I''m done with this place.. Wind magic!" Xu Jiaqi called out a wind gust that led the items around and collected it in one place. She then balled them up into a sphere and dragged it back to the town with a deadpan expression.


    She was still a bit pissed at Zenith for not matching up to her expectations. She thought that Zenith would be her most useful pawn, given that he was essentially an endless battery pack, but she might have to reverse that opinion now.


    She couldn''t help but grit her teeth at the uncomfortable feeling that was rising inside of her. Her heart was enticed to destroy everything and leave nothing behind. So that her heart would be at ease. But naturally, she had to subdue this feeling down for the time being because she wasn''t the strongest yet.


    She couldn''t defy the Main System''s authority. For now. The one who gave missions were them, and it meant that how much her life would be prolonged by would also be determined by that being.


    She got back to Zenith. He was sitting down next to several other villagers, conversing in a lighthearted mood. It made Xu Jiaqi even more disturbed. Her heart wasn''t in peace. It was completely out of her usual tendencies.


    In one motion, she threw the ball of wind magic that contained their valuables without warning. The wind magic coating was broken, and the items inside spilled outwards. With an annoyed face, she left without saying a word, as if she was a child throwing a tantrum.


    Xu Jiaqi thought that she was sensible. Sensible to the point that she would get called a robot from time to time. But now, it felt like she was terribly affected by the littlest things.


    She went to the nearest inn and checked into a room, paying the innkeeper money and laying down on the mattress.


    ''..Why am I like this? It''s not at all.. like how I''m supposed to act. I have to be composed.. But my heart.. ugh.'' Xu Jiaqi banged on the mattress, expressing her annoyance.


    ''How I am supposed to act? Why should I act in a certain way? I should just follow my mind. My mind is the best indicator.'' Getting even angrier, Xu Jiaqi stopped thinking altogether and began descending into sleep. She was tired, tired of thinking about everything.


    As she slept, Zenith entered her room.


    At this point, Xu Jiaqi''s eyes were already closed and it looked like she was dead asleep.


    The woman in question was awake, and her consciousness was as bright as day. Zenith stood in his place for a few minutes just watching over the resting girl. It was a creepy sight if someone walked in on them, but because Xu Jiaqi roughly understood why Zenith was doing this, she just let it be.


    Zenith must be in so much conflict over her words and actions. She must have shocked him. Perhaps, he wouldn''t even want to ally himself with her anymore.


    ''That would be a stupid move''. Xu Jiaqi said to herself.


    There was a limit to how stupid one can be. If Zenith really chose to abandon her just because of this incident, then Xu Jiaqi didn''t need him in the first place. She wouldn''t want to be dragged down by someone like him.


    After the long rounds of staring, Zenith finally spoke up. He was trying to convey what his heart held without saying it directly to the lady- a cowardly move. Perhaps he thought that talking to the lady who was asleep would be easier, and would count just as much as if he had to face her.


    Zenith wouldn''t know how to face her after the incidents that shook them apart.


    "I''m sorry for the offense, Lady Ariel. I simply think that.. You weren''t thinking on your right mind. You seemed off. Like you were in a dreamlike state. You zoned out a lot, and your eyes kept.. becoming scary. It really was my intention to save them, but I also thought that you would have made the same decision had you were in your usual condition."


    Unbeknownst to him, Xu Jiaqi heard it all. Zenith''s words, it was well received by her. She didn''t know how to respond to this, so she just kept sleeping until Zenith decided to leave the room.. Normally, someone who was faking sleep would be discovered by Zenith quickly, but since Xu Jiaqi was a master in acting, the man left while thinking that his words were not at all heard by anyone.

 Chapter 67 - 2.28

    "...What does he mean by that?  I wasn''t in my right mind? It annoys me.. I''m so annoyed today. I''m.. There is something inside me that is starting to change." Xu Jiaqi gripped her fists tight.


    For the first time in a while, she actually felt pure terror. She was frightened. Unable to think straight.


    Perhaps Zenith''s judgement was not at all wrong.


    There was a fire inside her that she was unable to control. A fire that is starting to take over her mind and push her into unbelievable depths.


    She fell back asleep, and opened her eyes to a different day. Without wasting time, she got out of the bed, cleaned herself thoroughly using magic, and got out fully ready to set off. She had to distract herself using


    the matters over at Palla.


    The townspeople were very amazed at her ability to take care of so many bandits by herself, to the point that they doubted Xu Jiaqi''s identity. However, without saying much, Xu Jiaqi left, coldly saying that they were indebted to her in the future, and that they should remember her well. She left them with her name, but didn''t go into detail on what her status was.


    Zenith still kept his duties intact, even if there was something clearly wrong with Xu Jiaqi. Since they were well rested now, they went to Palla immediately using the same method- riding a horse together.


    It was extremely awkward after the conflict that happened between them, but Xu Jiaqi did not bother to change the dynamic between them, and Zenith was also thinking that it would be up to the lady to reverse the situation.


    A cold war ensued between Zenith and her. To be precise, it was Zenith that avoided Xu Jiaqi like the plague.


    They rode the same horse and travelled to Palla just like the original pathway that they designated, and soon reached there in two days. Along the way, Xu Jiaqi kept trying to calm herself down, and conversed with the System about her ailment.


    The System assured her that it was nothing much, but Xu Jiaqi could tell that there was something with herself. After all, a mere mechanical System wouldn''t be able to tell her condition better than her.


    As Xu Jiaqi recuperated, finding a peaceful balance inside herself, she was finally able to continue forth without tumbling down ever so often because of her condition. She took a huge sigh, and knew that this shortcoming of hers must have caused a lot of misunderstandings and caused all of her previous effort to gain Zenith''s favor to naught.


    It was right when they finally reached Palla did Xu Jiaqi decide that she should reconcile with Zenith in order for their future plans to work.


    "Lady Ariel, we have arrived." Zenith spoke emotionlessly, just like the previous two days that the cold war occurred in. He stopped the horse in front of the gate of Palla, where they would have to undergo strict checkup before being let in.


    Xu Jiaqi dismounted the horse with some help from Zenith, but it was obvious that he was just doing it for obligatory''s sake and did not contain any sort of emotions, unlike before.


    Xu Jiaqi knew that she had to make a move before everything was too late.


    Zenith was leaving right after Xu Jiaqi was safely standing on the ground


    "Wait. Where are you going?" Xu Jiaqi grabbed onto Zenith''s wrist, squeezing it as hard as she could.


    "I am going to call the representatives over so that we could get verified. The representatives that came to Maine were supposed to vouch for us, but because they are now not present, we have to look for other means of proof."


    "Zen.. No, Zenith Ahgren, did I tell you to do that? Or have you became so improper that you would not only ignore my existence, but leave me alone in this cold and uncaring land?" Xu Jiaqi narrowed her eyes as she said.


    The words were meant to strike at Zenith''s conscience, and it would certainly invoke guilt within his heart. However, Xu Jiaqi did not mind using an underhanded method like this if it meant that everything would come iinto balance one more time.


    "I thought that you were mad at me.. Are you not?" Zenith trembled as he shook Xu Jiaqi''s hand off. "You are the one who started to ignore me. Am I supposed to chase after you like a pitiful dog, when you treat me like a toy that you can freely get mad at and eventually throw any time you want?"


    Zenith''s expression was particularly painful to look at. It was clear that the man had been hurt by their conflict. Perhaps the expectation that Zenith had on Xu Jiaqi was so high that he ended up being ruthlessly disappointed when Xu Jiaqi berated and mocked him that day.


    Xu Jiaqi was still stimulated by the pleasure that holding Zenith''s hand gave her and couldn''t help but grab it again. It had been two days since she had a long, complete contact like this with Zenith. The energy was refreshing, like her body was being renewed with every touch.


    "Mad? Is that who you think I am? Someone who gets mad at you for nothing?" Xu Jiaqi continued her act.


    "But.. Lady Ariel stormed away that day.. So I thought that you would want some space. You also didn''t clarify anything, how was I supposed to know?!" Zenith raised his volume. He looked frustrated, understandably. He must feel that it is very unfair.


    "Stop thinking about useless stuff. We are in Palla, do you think that we still have room to fool around? Obviously not. Prepare my stay here with care. Our long lasting battle to grab the authority.. Would soon begin." Xu Jiaqi commanded with a calm voice. "The matter from that day.. I was thinking about some disturbing stuff. It affected my train of logic, and I ended up doing whatever I did during these past two days. I apologize, it was my fault."


    The last part was said in a lower volume, almost like a careful whisper.


    Zenith heard it loud and clear, however.

 Chapter 68 - 2.29

    Zenith heard it loud and clear, however. The words were like a powerful energy drink, immediately making him feel better.


    Although Zenith still felt a bit unsettled, he obeyed her command. Her straight words had caused some ripples in his heart. Relief. Relief that he didn''t anger the lady too much, that the lady was still willing to forgive him. He did not know why, but ever since Xu Jiaqi got mad at him, he had actually treaded very carefully and evaded the lady so that he could sort his mind out and not trigger the lady even more.


    He was very scared.


    That continuous effort led to this moment, where he was being interrogated by the lady. A smile erupted on his face. The lady wasn''t mad. It was a good thing.


    Zenith nodded. "However, my lady, we still have to be verified. If you do not wish to stay alone until a guard comes.. Perhaps we could go to the post together? The horse must be left here, though, so we would have to walk." He said.


    "En." Xu Jiaqi let out a sound of acknowledgement, and with that, they began walking side by side towards the new destination.


    Although things were still awkward between the two of them, Xu Jiaqi definitely patched the torn bits up a little bit.


    They found the person in charge and was able to verify their identity after explaining what had happened to the two representatives. Xu Jiaqi and Zenith was also sure that the news they had deliberately spread had arrived here somehow, so they were not anxious at all.


    He followed the correct procedures for a Saintess candidate and prepared Xu Jiaqi''s room along with other workers who showed him the way to the place they were going to stay in. They would have to separate from each other. The Saintess candidates lived in a separate building- no one else except them lived there. It was meant to be pure and untainted, so outsiders, except for the high ranking officers were not allowed to enter. Even those officers had to state their reasonings clearly.


    Naturally, a knight like Zenith would never be allowed in the chamber. Zenith did not mind, since he too felt like sleeping with Xu Jiaqi was too bad for his heart. It would race in an extreme pace and cause him to think that he was going to explode out of pure stimulation.


    Since they had just arrived after long days of travel, they were both exhausted and were escorted to take a plentiful amount of rest. Xu Jiaqi laid down in her room, which was extremely lavish and comfortable despite the religion having criticized luxury and a vain life.


    However, since Xu Jiaqi did take comfort in it, she did not complain and immediately went to sleep.


    She was given a manual on her proper etiquette and duties, so when she woke up alone the next day, she didn''t have any fear in proceeding. She changed into the Saintess candidate clothes and got out of the room after having cleaned herself up with magic.


    She never saw another candidate even as she exited the building, which made her frown a little bit since it was unnatural. However, when she got out, she saw that Zenith was waiting outside of the chamber''s gates, which made her smile a bit.


    "Zenith, I think I will have to focus on learning Holy magic as much as I could. I''m already pretty confident in my abilities, but the other candidates.. Since I have been trapped for so long, they would have the time advantage against me. Which is why, I will disappear for some time. In this period, you are free to do whatever you want, but I believe that you will be able to satisfy me with whatever results you come up with by the time I end my seclusion." Xu Jiaqi spoke with a gentle tone, looking at him with eyes that seemed so dear.


    Zenith''s heart skipped a beat. The lady''s expression brought him some strange premonitions, but he quickly shook it off and nodded resolutely. "I shall heed your orders, my lady."


    That was the last time they saw each other within a week.


    Because there were still other candidates to be picked up, Xu Jiaqi did not need to do a lot of things yet. She also took advantage of her rights in the Holy land. She was able to go into seclusion without undergoing much supervision because of her status, and no one was able to seek her out without waiting for her to go out on her own accord.


    After a week, she came out to be a strengthened version of herself. Because Palla was a region that was so rich in magical energy, she was naturally able to gain more benefits as she cultivated her magic up.


    However, there was something she experienced daily in that seven days.


    Every time she fell asleep, she would dream of a tragedy. Those tragedies would then influence her psyche, making her mental levels become unstable and shaky.


    She clutched her head, feeling that there was a constant stinging pain hitting her.


    This was her final day of seclusion as the System told her that the final Saintess candidate had finally been accepted into Palla, and her duties would start very soon.


    She notified Zenith, sending him a letter that told him to wait for her in the gates. Zenith, who received this letter, immediately set off to pick the lady up.


    Meanwhile, as Xu Jiaqi left towards the gates to reunite with Zenith, she met up with the first person she saw inside the candidates'' living quarters.


    It was a girl with flowing jet black hair and brown eyes. She looked normal, but there was a warm aura surrounding her that caught Xu Jiaqi''s eyes.


    A chill spread through her body, and the System also became more alert.


    The girl''s identity was precisely the original main character, Serenia Aubellin.

 Chapter 69 - 2.30

    [Host! Host! The female lead-]


    ''I know. I can feel it even if you don''t say anything. You can just tell.] Xu Jiaqi narrowed her eyes on the girl, observing her.


    Then, as if it was fated, the girl''s eyes also floated to her. She burst into a wide smile and approached Xu Jiaqi as if it was natural.


    "Hello, it''s very nice to meet you. You are another Saintess candidate, right? My name is Serenia Aubellin. Although we are supposed to be pitted against each other as fellow candidates, I don''t think that we should be completely hostile to each other, right? A good kind of competition is best, and that thing can''t be achieved unless we are respectful and mindful of each other. Don''t you think so too?"


    Like the female lead she was, as told in the plot, she spoke in an ever so righteous manner that tickled Xu Jiaqi''s ears as if bugs were entering them.


    "...Hello, my name is Ariel Maine, another Saintess candidate. As for your questions... I don''t think that I require a good relationship with other candidates. There can only be one Saintess in the end, and I don''t need to have a goody goody relationship with you guys. Especially since we will be betting on our skills.. I don''t need your support or motivation, I think that I alone am enough. Thank you for the offer, but I have no intentions of befriending others." Xu Jiaqi said in a cold, emotionless tone, in contrast to Serenia''s cheerful and bright expressions.


    "Oh.. I see. I completely understand. It''s.. it''s alright. I was just thinking that it''s not healthy for us to be too aggressive.."


    "And who said that you could only compete in an aggressive manner? As a devout believer of Goddess Eula, I view the Saintess position as a refined, untouchable and dear role that should only be exclusively the Goddess'' servant. A lady is the most perfect figure for this. Someone who holds great power, but also the grace and elegance to solidify. I need not focus on the world, I only have to devote myself to the Goddess and the Holy land''s sanctity. Worldly affairs like relationships are not one of my goals."


    Though, by saying this, she was about to cut her own feet off. She regularly teased Zenith, and it would only take Serenia one peek to find out how brazen she actually was. But for now, she planned to oppose this female lead.


    ''Would that make me a villain, System?''


    [You are a villain even if you don''t do this kind of thing. Aren''t you aware of how much atrocities you like to cause?] The System responded. If it had eyes, it would''ve rolled them all the way back by now listening to the Host''s countless blabbers.


    ''Ah well. Being a villain isn''t too bad at all, is it?'' Xu Jiaqi chuckled, not minding the System''s words.


    She watched as Serenia''s expression changed right to left, from being shocked to feeling awkward and uncomfortable. In any ways, Serenia was definitely not impressed with her first meeting with Xu Jiaqi.


    Xu Jiaqi wondered what kind of responses the other candidates gave to her. Surely, not every candidate was fully in approval of Serenia''s approach, right? No matter how strong a female lead''s charm was...


    ''Wait, no, perhaps this girl''s charm is really that strong. Else, how would she be able to motivate everybody to destroy the world for her?''


    [Host, please stop your rambles and focus.]


    It was Xu Jiaqi''s turn to roll her eyes.


    Her sharp eyes portrayed a chilling glint as she stared down at the girl in front of her. Serenia made awkward gestures before she finally spoke up.


    "O-okay. It was my fault for not knowing you better... I will take my leave now. Since we will compete, I know that we are going to meet each other more often in the future..I will be looking forward to our next meeting." Serenia hurriedly spoke before turning around and leaving since Xu Jiaqi did not give a response at all.


    After that encounter happened, Xu Jiaqi continued on her original purpose, that was to reunite with Zenith. She went towards the gate and saw that the man was already there, waiting for her ever so loyally.


    Upon meeting gazes with her, Zenith perked up and seemed a bit tense.


    ''Is he thinking about the words I said to him before I left?'' Xu Jiaqi did say that she expected results from the man. This might have applied pressure to the man''s psyche, leading to him acting this way.


    "Good morning, Zenith." Xu Jiaqi crossed her arms as she told Zenith to step backwards in order for her to be able to unlock the gates. She was constantly rubbing her temples.


    Her head was still hurting. Her desire to overwhelm this world was spiking up, but at the same time, it was spiking down. She knew that whatever she was feeling had a correlation with the dreams she had.


    Her identity could not be as simple as she thought. She wasn''t stupid, she was able to figure out that the dreams weren''t just a coincidence after a series of similar scenes started to appear in her dreams. The story progressed slowly in her head, but everything always ended in the same way.


    Death. ''She'' was killed for unknown reasons.


    The dreams were memories that were foreign to her, but Xu Jiaqi felt like she had seen them before. Experienced them in person. In each scene, the setting would be different. The cause of her pain would also change. Her identity, too, would constantly hop around from status to status.


    She had a couple theory on why this happened. At first, she thought that it was a cumulation of her senses being overloaded, resulting in an array of ''shadow memories''. Memories that weren''t hers, but seemed like it was.


    But then, why did all of this start only after she went on her second transmigration journey?


    Thus, she leaned towards her second theory.

 Chapter 70 - 2.31

    It was very simple. She had a brilliant brain. Given the clues, there was only one thing that could explain the dreams'' contents perfectly. This was not her first time being contracted as a Host. Better yet, this was not her first time experiencing events similar to that of a transmigrator. Hopping around worlds constantly.


    She experienced transmigrating firsthand. Why couldn''t she secretly be a past transmigrator who got picked up by another System?


    Thousands of worlds with its own fates. Systems like the one she had right now lurking nonstop, waiting to pick up their Hosts and start their own adventure. There was absolutely nothing that prevented Xu Jiaqi from becoming a second time transmigrator that lost her memories some how and ended up in the world that Xu Jiaqi thought was her original world.


    Either way, she had to find a way to contain these thoughts. Now that she was beginning to understand herself, she needed to put a stop to it. It bothered her too much and would affect her performance even though she was known for her durability and tenacity.


    Although she was still riddled with a lot of pain to her head, she still couldn''t rest.


    She wanted to get that sweet vacation in the System space as soon as possible. If not, she felt like her head would split at any moment. Just one push. One more push, and her sanity, which was held by a thin string would break down.


    Then, she would consult with the System to obtain a way to solve this damned mystery.


    "Zen, how long is the Saintess candidacy period usually for? How and when are they picked?" Xu Jiaqi questioned the knight. It was time to put her plans into motion. Taking down the Holy land and cleansing the Empire in one swoop.


    "Answering the lady, it should be in about two months at most. The reigning Holy Cardinal will pick the new Saintess in front of the famous Goddess Eula''s statue after the candidate is decided upon. They will be blessed by the Cardinal, and will be put into seclusion for another month to further perfect their role."


    "Two months.. eh? I don''t exactly plan to become the Saintess, to be honest. It would just be an extra restriction placed on me.. Hm, this is a bit troubling. Even if I want to fight for the seat, I need to have backing. The Maine Dukedom is definitely not going to back me up, while the others already have a proper investor." Xu Jiaqi mumbled.


    "That would indeed be correct, lady."  Zenith answered.


    "Then.. right, Zen, do you know who is a rightful powerhouse in this Holy Land? Someone I can get on my side, someone who doesn''t have vile thoughts." Xu Jiaqi had to make her moves very carefully if she wanted to take the peaceful route.


    Becoming the Saintess might be the only way she could reform the Holy Land without breaking the entire world''s structure. She had to look for someone that suited that type.


    If she was able to replace the Cardinal with another person who would obey her, then it would be checkmate. She didn''t need to be majorly exposed to the public, she just wanted to control it from behind at the very least.


    This would give her the leisure of commanding and reforming the land while staying behind the scenes.


    "Rightful.. superior, hm? I suppose it would be the First Child? He holds authority, but he was recently detained for opposing the Cardinal''s orders. Although the order wasn''t disclosed, it should be something worrisome. Enough for the First Child to object." Zenith answered.


    "First Child? That Ezra Lancaster?" Xu Jiaqi had actually researched about almost everybody in the Holy Land with the System to get data on who she could use. She only asked Zenith for clarification, and to further test him.


    The so-called First Child was indeed in her list of probable allies. Ezra Lancaster, the only one bearing the title ''Child'' in the Holy Land. Although his title was as such, he wasn''t a child right now, but rather a relatively young man.


    The Holy Land did not have Saints. They appointed Saintesses, but that was it. There was a rule that came out of nowhere, saying that the Goddess'' second highest ranking apostle should be a chaste and pure female- a Saintess.


    The Cardinal was the highest ranked servant of the Goddess. If Ezra''s worth was put into comparison to this hierarchy, he would be akin to a faux ''Saint''. He was appointed six years ago, and up until now, he is the one and only bearer of that title. Although there was first in his name, there was not going to be a second one.


    The reason being, Ezra was simply out of the ranks that existed. He possessed extremely pure Holy Magic, perhaps even beating that of Serenia''s. He was described as a legend, a man who loved peace and solitude so much that he confined himself to a stranded tower to serve the Goddess Eula with his heart.


    Ezra Lancaster. The only thing that prohibited him from being called a ''Saint'' was because of the old rule that existed up until now.


    The name rang inside Xu Jiaqi''s mind multiple times, making her consider if this was indeed a viable choice.


    It was possible, but she had to check whether Ezra even showed a speck of interest towards her.


    In any case, it was clear that the Saintess position needed to be hers. Even if that meant that she would have to oppose the leads directly, which will put her in great danger.


    "Alright, it''s settled then. We are going to try and make Ezra Lancaster our patron until I become the Saintess. With the Child on our side.. It should be hard to not appoint us, right?" Xu Jiaqi tapped her fingers rhythmically as she chuckled.


    System: There goes the Host''s scary antics again.. Hays. A storm is about to come! Everybody, take cover!

 Chapter 71 - 2.32

    "Hello, it''s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Ariel Maine, one of the Saintess candidates. This is Zenith Ahgren, the knight that is serving me. Would you be so kind as to let me into this tower?" Xu Jiaqi gave out a gentle, charming smile as she spoke.


    This was the second day after she came out of her seclusion. She was standing in front of the Tower where Ezra resided in. To be precise, it was a confinement center that the First Child turned into his living quarters. After this desire was expressed by the First Child, the Tower immediately got renovated.


    The guard who heard Xu Jiaqi''s appeal raised a brow.


    "...Miss Ariel, was it? I am sorry, but I don''t think that a Saintess candidate would have anything good to do with the confinement center. Did you get lost, miss? This is where bad people get detained and purified. It couldn''t be that you have gotten into trouble after such a short time?" The guard asked with doubtful eyes.


    "Of course not. I am simply here to fulfill a purpose that I''m not able to disclose." Xu Jiaqi said. "I don''t think I need to explain myself to you? Or is that the customs here? For a guard to be able to question the Saintess candidate..."


    "It is not within my intentions to be insolent. However, you must have learned of the only person who lives within this Tower.. Although I am titled the confinement center''s guard, the person I am guarding is the First Child. If you are wise enough, I believe that you would retract from this place. It is not a good move for you to offend the First Child before the Saintess competition even starts."


    After that, the guard no longer responded to Xu Jiaqi''s words, staying calm and silent no matter what Xu Jiaqi tried to do.


    Sighing, Xu Jiaqi gave up and left the vicinity to discuss it with Zenith.


    "... When do you think we will have a chance to meet Ezra Lancaster?" Xu Jiaqi asked, biting the tip of her thumb as she spoke. "Clearly, entering his home is impossible, and that hermit never exits the Tower. How are we going to get to him?"


    "It''s a shame, but that would be hard. The First Child does not attend regular meetings, and does not have any particular interest for the land''s affairs except for his obligatory duties. Those duties are done inside his locked tower, so it would be hard to see him. However.. I believe that you will get the chance to see a glimpse of him in the candidate announcement party. There will be a banquet thrown to celebrate the coming of the candidates, and whether the First Child likes it or not, he will have to oblige to the rules. Since his standing is that high, naturally he would have to get acquainted with the candidates."


    Especially since his position was that of a faux ''Saint'', the matchup for a ''Saintess''.


    "..You''ve done your research, huh?" Xu Jiaqi was actually rather impressed by the amount of effort Zenith put into his work, even though she was already aware that the knight was an exemplary man.


    "Of course, Lady Ariel. There is no way that I will let us jump into battle without any preparation. That would be a stupid thing to do." Zenith answered simply. This was the fruits of the one week that Xu Jiaqi gave for both of them to settle down in this place.


    Xu Jiaqi complimented the man internally before humming.


    "Well then, it seems like there would be no other choice than to have to wait for that moment. Unless we encounter a lucky stroke or something... Which is clearly out of the question, we have to prepare something that is enough for us to attract Ezra Lancaster''s attention and create an opportunity for us." Xu Jiaqi grumbled. "I already have an idea about what I would have to do, so you need not worry about that part. Rather, could you go and investigate the other candidates?"


    Once again, Xu Jiaqi was just trying to make things harder for Zenith. She clearly had a System that was capable on garnering much more detailed information than the human man since he had limits in his intel. However, she just wanted to see Zenith display his strength, and how good his work could be. It was also due to the fact that she didn''t want any suspicion from the knight. If she was too omnipotent, then the man would only get more and more suspicious.


    "Understood, Lady Ariel. Your commands shall be followed to the highest degree." Zenith bowed. "Should I start the procedure right now?"


    "Yeah, sure. I will be touring this place a little bit. I will be fine alone, so you shouldn''t have to worry about that too." Xu Jiaqi laughed heartily.


    The man didn''t even react to her request, which was quite a harsh job. Investigating the Saintess candidates, who were supposed to collectively have a high standing or potential, that would lead to them being hard to investigate. And yet, Zenith did not complain one bit and agreed.


    "Please take care of yourself, then." Zenith wished the lady well and left soon after exchanging some more conversations. Of course, in the midst of it all, Xu Jiaqi took advantage of the situation and got ahold of Zenith''s hand a few times to let his body transfer energy to her.


    Now that Xu Jiaqi was left alone, she broke into a devious smirk as she spoke. "Then, System, what would it take for us to infiltrate that tower?"


    As she walked away from the place, she cultivated her inner energy and circulated the energy that Zenith passed onto her.


    Xu Jiaqi was now capable of doing advanced training that the System assumed the leads wouldn''t be able to do without much effort.


    She could cultivate as naturally as she breathed. As she talked, as she spoke, as she slept.


    Xu Jiaqi was building herself to be the most powerful weapon in this world, and each second was a progress for her.


    System: Scary woman!

 Chapter 72 - 2.33

    Xu Jiaqi was impatient. She asked the System to work his magic and start to map out the confinement tower''s innards. Every building had a loophole that she could exploit. To Xu Jiaqi, nothing was impenetrable.


    At most, she would just have to deal with troublesome protective spells being put up all around the building, but that was it.


    A permanent smirk was plastered on her face as she worked with the System to map out a pathway that she could follow to get inside the Tower. The peculiar thing about this place was that it was heavily guarded, but at the same time, it was not. Because the First Child was very confident in his own capabilities, he told the Cardinal that he would be renovating the entire Tower by himself using magic, including the security that he would use.


    In the end, the Cardinal and the First Child settled on placing only one guard around the Tower. There were five guards that Ezra Lancaster selected by himself from the array of people who wanted the job, and these guards would routinely switch standing on guard.


    One of them was the one Xu Jiaqi talked to just now.


    Even though there was a guard, it had to be noted that Ezra did not care about whether or not the guard stood by. He knew that he himself was enough to take care of his safety and accommodations, he did not need someone else''s help.


    Xu Jiaqi was going to break that confidence right here and now.


    The System was extremely smart. Not only could he gather information in detail, he was also capable of analyzing the structural integrities of the magic circles placed around the Tower. Since Xu Jiaqi couldn''t inspect them all on her own directly, she ordered the System, who was invisible to take on the job.


    While waiting, Xu Jiaqi studied the map she got from the System in great detail. It only took a few minutes for the System to finish processing what he had just learned and relay it all to Xu Jiaqi. Xu Jiaqi then learned the circles while humming a happy tune.


    It was complicated, but Xu Jiaqi was able to understand it. Only, the slight problem would be Ezra''s strong magical power. It was intense, and even while she was standing quite far away from the Tower''s premises, she was still able to feel the energy surge out nonstop.


    For a protective barrier to ooze out this kind of thing meant that the maker was a heavenly expert.


    But Xu Jiaqi was not deterred. In fact, she felt challenged. It was still daytime, but this fact did not hinder her from infiltrating.


    Xu Jiaqi snuck to the Tower''s walls, hiding her presence. It was a great thing that there was only one person guarding the Tower all the time. Se was able to slip into one of the lower balconies with no effort at all. There was a spell that protected this area, but Xu Jiaqi quickly dispelled it before anybody could notice her existence.


    She finished unlocking the first barrier, but the windows and doors were locked shut. After grimacing at her sad fate, Xu Jiaqi used magic to corrode one of the doors and finally enter the Tower.


    She felt like a hidden spy sneaking around. But her intentions were good, she swore!


    With silent steps, she travelled around the Tower''s interior, breaking the barrier spells that were holding her back. She had felt an extremely powerful magical energy coming out from the highest floor, so that was her destination. That should be where Ezra is.


    And sure enough, Ezra Lancaster was the source of that powerful energy. Aria reached the highest floor with no time after having prepared herself for the troubles that would come along with her trip. Upon entering the destination floor, she saw Ezra in the middle of kneeling to an altar.


    He was turning his back against her, so Aria was not able to see his face. In the chamber, several statues were placed. The Tower was overall very neat. For this young man to take care of everything inside by himself, he must have some sort of obsession towards cleanliness to be so motivated.


    Ezra did not respond to her arrival even when she began to step inside the room and even crouch beside him.


    Then, Xu Jiaqi decided to snap her fingers, creating a loud sound. It was then that Ezra Lancaster woke up from his trance. His eyes were hooded, and if Xu Jiaqi did not know better, she would have thought that the man had been sleeping while kneeling.


    However, she knew that the man was conscious and was just praying. To the Goddess, the figure that was erected in the altar.


    Ezra was dazed, looking at Xu Jiaqi as if he was still completely in denial and that Xu Jiaqi was just a fragment of his imagination. After all, he was confident that no one could ever enter the Tower without his permission. Who was this woman?


    Xu Jiaqi then snapped her fingers two more times. The third time, Ezra was finally able to recover his composure and stood up from his kneeling position abruptly, taking a few steps backwards. He pointed his index finger towards Xu Jiaqi, speechless at her arrival.


    "Who... who.. on Earth are you? How are you able to come inside here?" Ezra''s voice was crisp, and it had a clean magnetic tone. He turned out to be a beautiful, fragile looking young man who looked as if he could trip on air and hurt himself just by existing. A figure that was indescribable, looking like he did not belong to this world.


    Ezra had teal blue hair, gleaming in an eye catching glint along with his golden eyes. The look in his eyes was rather icy, adding to his untouchable vibe.


    Xu Jiaqi: So pretty. My hands are raring to go. Hehe.


    System: Someone save this man. Zenith, where are you when we all need your help??

 Chapter 73 - 2.34

    This man was Ezra Lancaster. The First Child, the one she wanted to make into her patron.


    "Greetings to you, First Child. My name is Ariel Maine, a Saintess candidate who had just recently been brought into this land. I would like to get to know you." Xu Jiaqi made a lovely bow as she spoke confidently, as if she hadn''t just broken into this super secretive personal Tower. Not to mention, the intricate spells that were placed around it.


    Ezra''s facial expression twitched. This was his first time encountering such an outrageous thing.


    Not to mention, the culprit was a young lady who looked refined. If he just passed by her, he definitely wouldn''t have thought that she was capable of doing such actions.


    "Ariel.. Maine, you said?" Although he lived in seclusion, it wasn''t like he was completely clueless about the outside world. Since the Maine name was well known to be a Duchy of high standing, he had heard of it before.


    Not to mention, even though he refused to do his duties, he did still look at the Holy Land''s affairs from time to time. Having a great memory and intelligence, he roughly knew who this girl was. There was a circulating news starting from a town that foretold the story of two Palla representatives being killed by assassins in their journey.


    If Ezra had to name one thing that he absolutely despised, it would be that of dirty politics. He hated being involved in human affairs, and found himself more in tune communicating with the Goddess in his spare time.


    Correct. Ezra Lancaster was hiding a tight secret. He was able to channel Goddess Eula''s presence in his prayers and summon the deity to converse with him. No one had ever learned of this fact, not even after he was deemed the First Child. The reason for his seclusive living was not only because he hated coming in contact with others that he thought were below him and his Goddess'' connection.


    He was protecting this secret of his and regularly talked to the Goddess inside his deepest living quarters.


    This ''deepest'' part was also coincidentally where he was standing on right now. Where Xu Jiaqi was standing on.


    It meant that this vile woman had just broken into his deepest secret, and that the room was tainted with the effects of the outer world. She was a noble daughter, right? What were her intentions? Was it to try to attract him to politics and spout bullshit left and right?


    Anger slowly brewed inside him, but because of his excellent control over his emotions, he did not immediately lash out. Not even the Cardinal was able to enter his room, but this woman was able to.


    Then, something clicked inside his head. There was something much more important than the girl''s relationship to the noble house. His spells were supposed to be impenetrable. Due to his high affinity to Holy magic and strong connection with Goddess Eula, he possessed extremely strong magic. He even knew that he was stronger than the Cardinal himself, but was just not interested in the position.


    The spells were made out of his own volition, and it took him months to perfect the fortress in order for no one to be able to interrupt this place of his under any circumstances.


    But this woman was saying that she, a Saintess candidate was able to break past all of those spells? In this time of the day where the sun shone bright?


    Weren''t infiltrations supposed to happen in night time? Even if you put that aside, how could you just pass through the barriers he placed??


    The System coughed. The Host was indeed not to be judged by normal standards. The standards would collapse.


    Even if he helped try to note down the magical circles, the one who had to do the analyzing and find a working solution was Xu Jiaqi. Within a short period of time, Xu Jiaqi was able to come out with her solution, which was a part of her brain that she used.


    This Host was someone who had only traversed over two worlds apart form her own. This was her first fantasy world. Where did she learn such a high complexity of magic understanding?


    As expected.. the Host''s identity must be that. He kept his thoughts to himself as he hid from the abnormal Host.


    "I protected this Tower with my own spells. Unorthodox spells that shouldn''t be able to be broken using normal spells. I imbued it using my magic. And you are saying that you broke in despite all that?"


    "Well- yeah, I guess? It took me some time to figure it out, though." Xu Jiaqi shrugged.


    What some time?! It took him months to come up with the spells he thought were impenetrable! At this point, wasn''t this woman just looking down at his competency?? He didn''t buy her story!


    "Don''t lie. I might give you a chance to live if you confess clearly. What are your intentions, and how were you able to get here?"


    "...Do you have a hearing problem? I broke the spells. You can check them by yourself. As for my intentions, it is very simple. I want to get along with you, make you my ally, and give you the Cardinal spot." Xu Jiaqi stated frankly.


    A grand mission that made Ezra think that she was a lunatic who was looking for trouble. But that clearly wasn''t the case. The woman had the skills to back her claims up, it was obvious just peering from the fact that she could dispel the locks he put up.


    "You are crazy. Out of your mind. I am just here to serve my Goddess, I don''t have time to bother with other people like he does."


    "See? That''s what I''m talking about. Bothering about other people. I think that... we shouldn''t stoop so low as to ''help'' others like that.." Xu Jiaqi said.

 Chapter 74 - 2.35

    "The Holy Land''s customs has been tainted, and they are bringing the Goddess'' name down with them.. I want to make a move. Make a change happen. I don''t want this to keep happening. A change is greatly needed, and the best way to do it is to put someone I trust in the highest position."


    "I have confidence that I will eventually become the Saintess. Furthermore, if I am able to get your support, this fact will be further solidified. That''s why, won''t you lend your hand? I will entrust you with mine. I am not trying to say that we should be good to each other. I just want us to have a cooperation. Like work." Xu Jiaqi tilted her head as she smiled sweetly.


    "You- what a devious scheme... Although I could care less about the world, it couldn''t be ignored that there are a lot of places that gets maintained by those who does foul play. Eradicating the foul would mean affecting those who are brought up by these group of people. It could cause a genocide if we are not careful. Although it is unfair, it is a fact that the balance we have today is because of these people''s tight control over the world."


    "And that balance is brittle. These people are mindless, uncouth, and do not understand that there will be repercussions behind one''s actions. For each and every one of their atrocities, many are hurt. Day by day, the victim count is rising. Isn''t it just the same? We will just be changing grips of the Holy Land, moving the control over to you." Xu Jiaqi uttered.


    "..That''s not the same. Those people are dependent on that lifestyle of theirs. It''s not just a matter of changing grips. They won''t survive."


    Unknowingly, Ezra was starting to talk more and more. He didn''t even realize how much he was saying.


    "Then it''s their fault in the first place for converting to that side. If they were upright in the first place, they would''ve been unaffected. Or perhaps uplifted for the better. I am not trying to convict them, nor will I kill them. I will just let them be, whatever they do with their lives after the change is none of my business, to be honest. Is the great Ezra Lancaster aiming to be a savior who salvages as many lives as possible? That kind of thing.. Is just wishful thinking. You can''t satisfy everyone and their mothers. What you can do, however, is try to make it as great as possible to live in, and that is what I am trying to achieve with my plan. A pseudo utopia experiment that would go on for many generations."


    "You are trying to conduct an experiment that would concern humanity as a whole. Do you know just what you will cause if you made a wrong step?"


    "Please stay assured. I will not make a wrong step. Besides, if you ally yourself with me, doesn''t that mean that the Goddess Eula who is floating beside you right now will be on our side as well?"


    Ezra''s expression warped, looking left and right and spotting no spiritual being in the shape of his Goddess. He did have visions of the ethereal being, but it was only when he closed his eyes and prayed with all his might, imagining a meeting with the deity. Without the assistance of the powerful spells that he had placed on the altar he prayed on, there was no way for him to see the Goddess.


    "You.. can see the Goddess?" Ezra''s mouth gaped in shock.


    "Yes. She''s very pretty. It is very nice to finally be able to meet you in person, Goddess Eula." Xu Jiaqi smiled at the foreign figure that her eyes had landed on ever since she stepped into this room.


    To think that the deity would be so free as to chit chat with a young man in the mortal world. Did she not have anything better to do?


    More importantly, Xu Jiaqi wondered. She was an anomaly to this world. Someone who shouldn''t exist. She wasn''t Ariel Maine, she was a transmigrator by the name of Xu Jiaqi. The Goddess, being a proper divine being, would be able to notice this fact, right? What would she do about it?


    <..Who are you? I have never seen you before, or have I?> The Goddess'' smooth and sultry voice began to trickle into her ears. Ezra was still left confused, but because of his sensitivity towards the Goddess and high ability, he knew that there was indeed something beside him.


    A conversation was being initiated right before his eyes, but he couldn''t witness the Goddess'' beauty or voice. How could this be? This random girl who had just popped out of nowhere had a higher connection level with the Goddess than him?


    <You carry an interesting stench. It seems like you are not one of my children, but instead.. an outsider..?> The Goddess bore a mature image. She was draped by loose robes that if the opacity was lowered by just the slightest bit, would definitely be see-through. Her long hair stretched down to her waist, flowing in the air despite there being no wind coming in. A perfect face, one that was even more enthralling than Xu Jiaqi''s.


    "You are correct, my Goddess. But this matter should not be disclosed in the public, right? We can keep it just a secret for the two of us to know." Xu Jiaqi answered.


    <That would be hard. I don''t know what your intentions are. To infiltrate my world and come face me like this, are you not afraid of death? Perhaps, I would oppose you right this instant and eradicate your trace.>


    "I am not afraid. If there was one thing that I am absolutely not afraid of, it would be death."


    Goddess Eula contemplated for a few seconds before raising a brow while approaching Xu Jiaqi and pinching her chin, pulling it upwards gently.


    <...Come to think of it, the stench is somewhat familiar. You can''t possibly be.. a transmigrator, right?>


    Xu Jiaqi''s smile grew bigger as she listened to the Goddess'' assumption.. She hit the mark.

 Chapter 75 - 2.36

    "You are correct, my Goddess. I am one. Knowing that, would you.. get rid of me?" Xu Jiaqi laughed, feeling a bit unsettled. The Goddess was able to see through her like this. She was also much stronger than her. A human was not her match.


    What would the Goddess do after learning this information? Kill her off?


    There were so many things that could go wrong. So long as the Goddess did not wish for her to live, her plans would all fall apart and her missions would fail.


    [Host, what are you doing?? Your tone while speaking to the Goddess- You will die, Host!] The System panicked on his own, as he couldn''t comprehend why Xu Jiaqi was putting up such a brave front.


    ''Oh come on. No matter what I do, it all ultimately comes down to the Goddess'' decision. To be honest, she doesn''t seem like someone who is addicted to praise and worship anyway.''


    [You can''t know that for sure! What if she does desire someone who kneels before her? That kid Ezra kneels everyday!] The System berated her, not satisfied with how she was acting.


    ''Well, maybe he is into that kind of stuff. I''m not sure about the Goddess, though.'' Xu Jiaqi was an expert at judging someone''s character, even if they had just met.


    The Goddess looked troubled for a few seconds before responding back to her.


    <..No. I won''t kill you. More precisely, I can''t. My powers have been weakening ever since this world began deteriorating, and severing the bond that your companion made will be hard. It will definitely strain my power, and that is something that I do not wish to happen. Your companion is very capable, thank him and my bad luck of not managing this world properly. I don''t know what you are here for, but just do not cause any useless chaos.>


    "Ah, really? This guy is that good?" Xu Jiaqi chuckled as she heard the System mutter sounds of shyness after being praised like that.


    ''Don''t get cocky, System!''


    [Ao?! Shouldn''t you be thanking me?! It was only because of me that you managed to survive, you know?]


    The Goddess seemed to draw closer and closer to Xu Jiaqi, as if she was trying to figure out exactly what was wrong with Xu Jiaqi''s existence. Or rather, why she couldn''t read her identity completely.


    Was it because of her companion? She was also unable to look at the transmigrator''s companion.


    <Yes. I was able to lock down the previous transmigrator who came across my world, but.. Hm, you don''t seem like you would have negative intentions anyway. I heard your story. Your motive towards Ezra, is it real? If you are just using him, then..>


    The Goddess did have a soft spot for Ezra. It was not love, but adoration because he was probably the only human who was so devoted to her despite having such massive strength blessing him. All that got the great abilities started off as a good person, but slowly deviated and descended into poor activities.


    Ezra Lancaster was the purest human that she had encountered over the course of all the millenniums she stayed in this world.


    "..I don''t think this discussion should be carried out in front of the man himself, right? Let''s talk another time." Xu Jiaqi stopped. To be precise, she did technically want to use him, just not in a negative way.


    <I will isolate his hearing. Your powers are stronger than him.. Wait, no. Your foundation is extremely unstable. How much time did you take getting up to this stage?>


    "Around.. a month."


    <What..? That''s absurd! Even for a transmigrator, how were you able to bypass the steps- Ah, forget it. Forget about all your silly dreams as well. At this rate, you will never get to do.. whatever you wanted. The moment you meet someone who is just slightly stronger than you, you will perish. It will be very easy for you to be hurt.>


    "...I am pretty aware of that, but it''s not like I have any other choices. I just arrived." Xu Jiaqi narrowed her eyes as she spoke. She did notice that it was getting harder and harder to progress after she reached a certain point. This could be attributed to the fact that since her foundation was not the best, her body''s rate of taking in the power started to fluctuate and even show some signs of rampage.


    <But you are.. indeed a special one. You must be an expert transmigrator, right? Did you enter a world with magic that works in the same way as mine?> The Goddess questioned, further inspecting Xu Jiaqi.


    "No? This is just my second time."


    <So you understood everything within the course of one month just by using.. nothing? Not even a speck of experience?>


    Goddess Eula visibly displayed a face filled with shock, as this piece of information was something that she wasn''t willing to believe in.


    "You could say so?"


    <..Okay then, maybe you are able to do the thing you wanted to. Actually.. Hmm, I have a proposal. It pains me to have to task someone with this, but if you want to reform the world anyway, could you help me restore my power back? If you cleanse the world out of impurities, then the people''s faith that have been blocked by the injustices will strengthen me and restore the balance.>


    ''Wao, is she asking me for a favor? Also, System, can she hear what I''m thinking about?'' Xu Jiaqi asked.


    [Hmm.. She should not be able to. She said that she was weakening, so that should apply to your inner thoughts as well since you aren''t Ariel, but a being who is connected to me.]


    ''Good, then.'' Xu Jiaqi snickered, rejoicing over the fact.


    "It sounds like a hard job. I have to make Ezra the Cardinal because my.. task is related to that. But outside of that scope, I will have to request a reward in exchange for the work if it''s even possible to do in the first place."


    It was time to bargain.

 Chapter 76 - 2.37

    The Goddess immediately broke into a fit of laughter after seeing Xu Jiaqi''s crafty eyes channeling her inner desire to leech off the Goddess.


    <Truly a brave soul. I''m confused on whether you should be called a good or bad person. And, oh, you will be able to do it. After all, as part of the reward, I will be lending you bits of my power. I don''t have much left, but it''s sure to balance out your shaky foundation. This way, your powers would also skyrocket since you will hold temporary divinity.>


    Xu Jiaqi''s smile disappeared. This was an offer that was too good for her. She couldn''t promise the Goddess anything, but she was readily handing out powers like this. It was suspicious.


    "..Are you sure that you are giving that sort of blessing to someone like me? Are you not afraid that I will just run away with your power in tow and burn the whole world up?" Xu Jiaqi asked, a dark glint hovering over her eyes.


    <I couldn''t care less. I''m taking chances here. High risk, high return, right? I originally governed over this world because the job was forced upon me anyway. I was the lowest out of my family tree in terms of power, so I got sent into this kind of world. If I got the lucky end of the stick, you wouldn''t have seen me here. I''m living such a sad fate, all I do nowadays is visit Ezra since I know that the world will plunge to its death.>


    "Will you not get the brunt of it if the world collapses? It''s the world you are supposed to guard, right?"


    <Well, it''s hard to explain, but divinity can''t be destroyed. So in theory, no matter how much us siblings hate each other, we wouldn''t be able to destroy the very essence of our being. We would be able to trap it.. lock the soul down, but our life can''t be destroyed. It should work the same way throughout all the realms. Perhaps some exceptions are there, but generally, divinity is something that will always exist. It could technically be passed down, but the original giver.. Upon losing one''s divinity completely, their body would..>


    The Goddess snapped her fingers, creating a crisp sound.


    "..Last question. Why have you not imparted this kind of gift to others? Ezra is right here. Shouldn''t you have given him the mission from long ago?"


    <Ezra does not have the ability to bear my divinity. To be able to merge divinity with a being.. You need to possess a soul that is made to handle it. For this same reason, a lot of beings who dreams about stealing a deity''s divinity fails and perishes terribly. However, someone like you, who is a transmigrator, naturally has a soul that has been primed by your companion. Only by doing that will you be able to withstand traversing over the worlds. So, that means that your soul is already strengthened. Strong enough to take in my power.>


    Xu Jiaqi felt the urge to turn backwards and leave upon hearing the Goddess say that. As if there was something inside of her who was fighting the idea to bear divinity or even get close with it at all.


    However, a part of her was also terribly curious, wanting to research about this matter and take it on as a challenge.


    "..Okay. I get it. But in order for the plans to begin, I will need you to convince the guy in front of me to run for the Cardinal position. I will serve the title up to him on a silver platter, he will just need to sit down and enjoy it all as I clean the world up." Xu Jiaqi''s sparkling eyes landed back on Ezra, who shirked backwards because he was discomforted.


    <That will be easy. Also, I will be giving you some boosts. In the first Saintess trial, I will directly bless you. Showing you favor in front of everybody, I don''t believe that the corruption happening in Palla would dare bypass my will. Even more so since some civilians are going to be present and witness the glory.>


    The Goddess openly said that she was going to directly manipulate the results by abusing her power, but Xu Jiaqi made no comments and took it as her luck.


    "I understand. I also planned to use the public''s eye to elevate my backing, so please do that. As for Ezra.. could you come and say hello to me after the Goddess'' boost comes down? It will make sense since you are devoted to the Goddess.. and it would be taken up as your way of being curious about another who was directly ''blessed''."


    Ezra simply nodded. He was listening to the conversation and could faintly decipher their meanings, although some of them were completely unintelligible and didn''t make sense to him.


    <Is it settled? Be warned, the moment you take on the divinity, it might change your soul. In the future, if you encounter a deity who has a much stronger divinity than what you think your soul could handle, then don''t take it. You will be poisoning yourself. Since I am just giving a small dose, and I have been weakened, it will be alright.> The Goddess alerted while she was at it.


    Xu Jiaqi pursed her lips as she began to second guess the decision.


    ''System. Is it really fine if I take the divinity?'' Xu Jiaqi had a turbulence inside her heart that made her worry.


    [It should be fine, Host. Is there something you think is off about this?] The System checked the stability levels before responding. Her soul was indeed very strong even before the System strengthened it, so taking on Eula''s powers shouldn''t be a great deal, only some pain and discomfort will follow.


    ''..I don''t know. I just feel uncomfortable. Maybe it''s just my feeling..'' Xu Jiaqi sighed internally before resolutely facing the Goddess.


    "Goddess Eula, please entrust me with your power.." Xu Jiaqi spoke.

 Chapter 77 - 2.38

    He did know that they were talking about a serious matter by the sound of Xu Jiaqi''s replies, but he would have never expected the topic to be this.


    "What kind of nonsense-" Ezra wanted to form a rebuttal.


    But before he could make anything change, a golden light started to illuminate Xu Jiaqi''s body. The radiance was blinding, and Ezra was forced to shut his eyes as he couldn''t bear it. He could hear faint whispers of what sounded like his Goddess'' voice. Usually, he would never ever have the chance to hear her if he wasn''t in front of the altar, but what was different this time?


    Was it because the Goddess really wanted to grant the power to the woman before him?


    Alas, the exchange was done. with a simple touch from the Goddess to Xu Jiaqi''s forehead, there was a faint crimson rose symbol planted on the skin. It burned for a few seconds, causing major pains to enter Xu Jiaqi''s body before finally assimilating with her own energy.


    She felt her entire body be renewed, as if she was skinned and rebirthed. The Goddess'' divinity was infused with her very being, and it caused her to feel dizzy and sick. Stinging pains everywhere. She stayed strong, and convinced herself that it would only be for a few moments.


    Indeed, after a short while, the pain subsided and her condition returned to normal- just a lot more powerful. The difference was phenomenal. With this gift, she was sure that the two strongest people that were supposed to take control over the world previously, the two leads, would be defeated under her hands.


    "..This kind of feeling would take some time to get used to. It''s much more potent than I thought it would be, Goddess." Xu Jiaqi observed her own body in awe.


    <Naturally. You didn''t think that bearing divinity will only come with positive changes, right?> The Goddess laughed, astounded at Xu Jiaqi''s calmness. She expected more of a reaction, but having no panic was also good.


    "No, of course not. I will gratefully accept this gift and present you with the reformation of the world. Now, it is almost time for me to go. Goddess, do you always stay here?"


    <Not exactly. I do return to my upper realms from time to time, but when I do go down to sightsee the mortal world, I will visit this place out of a habit.>


    "Understood, Goddess. Then, I shall announce my leave for today. It was a pleasure meeting you two." Xu Jiaqi flashed them with a bright smile before leaving the place.


    No one stopped her. Ezra was still in a trance, so he zoned out. The Goddess waved her a little goodbye. Xu Jiaqi had to leave through the same way she used to infiltrate the place and got out safely.


    As she walked down the Tower, reaching the ground and quickly hiding in a place no one could see her in, she heaved a sigh. Today''s mission could be considered as a success. Originally, she only planned to greet Ezra and initiate at least a conversation rally with him. The Goddess'' existence was an unaccounted variable, but that wasn''t a bad thing.


    In the corner of her eyes, she then saw Zenith, who was running towards her full speed with an anxious face.


    Feeling that something isn''t right, Xu Jiaqi quickly braced herself.


    "Zenith..? What''s wrong with you.. Why are you running so fast like that?" She shirked away, questioning him.


    Zenith has an indifferent face. His brows were furrowed, and he was obviously not too happy. "Why? Why, you say? My lady, I am perfectly aware that you are fearless, and I have witnessed this quality of yours with my own eyes, but could you restrain yourself in Palla? It will be extremely bad if you had gotten caught! Just imagine what-" Zenith raised his volume as his emotions were exploding.


    He hurriedly regained his calm and looked at Xu Jiaqi sternly, as if she was a child who did something wrong and had to be lectured. He waited for her to respond to his claims, no longer saying anything.


    "..No one will know if I don''t get caught, right? What makes you think that someone will be able to spot me?"


    Instead of repenting or realizing her mistake, she said this.


    "The First Child himself? Are you saying that he is in your favor now after just one visit from you? I must applaud you, my lady. You are truly magnificent and spectacular." Zenith said in a sarcastic tone.


    "I shall be taking that praise, in fact! I did befriend Ezra. And I am not just joking. You will see what happens in the first Saintess trial. When will it start? the candidates have all been housed inside the quarters, right?" Xu Jiaqi fought back, not willing to just let her conscience be stepped on like that.


    She perfectly knew what she was doing when she entered that shut-in''s lair!


    System: Lies, lies, lies! You didn''t plan anything, you just wanted to bullshit your way out of it!


    Xu Jiaqi: And it worked! What''s your point?


    "You- ha.. Well, it''s not like I can do anything to control you anyway. I don''t have anything left to say. The trial will start in two days. I have also gathered information about the other candidates and compiled it in a file. Please have this and read it in your free time." Zenith pulled out a file, his mood still bad.


    He couldn''t believe that this person had actually broke into Ezra Lancaster, who was widely known to rival the Cardinal or even beat him.


    "Zenith, lend me your hand." Xu Jiaqi huffed, stretching out her hand and gesturing for Zenith to take it.


    "...My lady, why are you so adamant on touching me every time you see me?" By this round, Zenith had already figured out that the reason Xu Jiaqi kept grabbing him was not just because of a trivial desire, but something more.


    The way Xu Jiaqi reacted when she touched skin with Zenith. Although Zenith did not feel anything, what was the clever lady feeling?


    He didn''t take her hand, waiting for an answer.

 Chapter 78 - 2.39

    "..Hmm? Do you truly want to know?" Xu Jiaqi giggled, tilting her head as she questioned.


    "Yes, my lady." Zenith gulped, wondering what reason could it possibly be.


    "You are a special person to me. Someone who can revitalize me when I am tired.. someone who can replenish my energy when I am exhausted. You are very special, Zenith. You don''t even realize the extent of your potential! It''s a real shame."


    Zenith blushed at the lady''s frank words. His thought frame immediately jumped to the conclusion that the lady was hurling praises and loving words towards him, but he quickly realized that that might not be the case. Energy, fatigue, exhaustion, vitality.


    Most importantly, the discussion about his potential.


    Was the lady talking about something else that he possessed and not how she felt towards him?


    "Lady, if I may ask.. Could you elaborate on those.."


    "Nope. Decipher them yourself. Interpret them in a way that you find suitable. I believe that you will be able to draw the correct conclusion, right?"


    Zenith shrugged, nodding even though he was confused.


    In any case, he had to go back to lecturing her about the scare she gave him when he couldn''t find her anywhere despite using the full brunt of his abilities.


    "Lady, you can''t just disappear so suddenly without communicating your whereabouts or intentions. Even more so when you become the Saintess. I understand that you value your freedom, but this might come to bite you in the back. Please.." Zenith pleaded, his eyes pressing on his seriousness.


    "I get it, I get-" Xu Jiaqi replied nonchalantly as she turned, but due to some remnants of the dizziness she got from the Goddess'' gift, she lost her balance and was about to fall down.


    Zenith widened his eyes, and hurriedly slid his arms below Xu Jiaqi''s back, hugging her tightly and preventing her from falling down. He pulled her back up, and the both of them seemed to enveloped in a strange atmosphere as there were nothing separating their two bodies except for their articles of clothing.


    Xu Jiaqi felt that her heartbeat was drumming. Without a second thought, she immediately recovered and concealed the shock in her eyes. She pushed Zenith away and looked to another direction.


    "..I will walk back to the chamber alone. You can leave now. Good work for today, Zenith."


    "What? My lady.." Zenith reached out to hold Xu Jiaqi back, but she quickly dodged his attempt and showed a flustered face as she distanced herself.


    "Leave!" Xu Jiaqi exclaimed, barring the other off from trying to get close to her.


    "..I understand. Please take care." Zenith lowered his head along with his hand before turning around and leaving her, not knowing why she had lashed out. What had he done? Did the lady loathe coming in close contact with him? Everything was just fine when they rode a horse together, so what exactly was the problem here?


    With those thoughts brewing inside his mind, he went back to his living quarters. His mind was occupied by her angry figure.


    Back in the location, Xu Jiaqi clutched her chest as she gnashed her teeth. Why was her heartbeat not slowing down? The man had already vanished from her sight. Better yet, she didn''t hold any special feelings towards the man, but when he raised his voice and embraced her tightly without a strain of doubt, it did make her...


    "What am I thinking? How stupid. Tch." Xu Jiaqi clicked her tongue and forcefully controlled her emotions, suppressing the spiralling thoughts and burying it down. "It''s uncomfortable.. Pisses me off. Why is this happening?!"


    She left for the quarters and went back to rest in a grumpy mood, wishing to shut down her thoughts completely. She also ignored the concerned System''s words. Later on, she attributed this outrage of hers to her chaotic dreams, which had been affecting her for quite some time from when it first started.


    As she slept, she would certainly enter another dream that would implicate her, but she didn''t mind it as much as having to see Zenith''s image pop up in her head.


    While all this happened, Ezra was sitting inside his Tower, deep in thought as his eyes roamed about the room. The Goddess should be around there, somewhere. The Goddess was in his vicinity.


    He felt vexed. For Xu Jiaqi to be able to see and hear his Goddess within the first time of meeting her.


    He recalled his first interaction with the Goddess. He was only able to ''feel'' her presence. That day, he was praying out of frustration. He came from a well off family, but they neglected him and left him to fend for himself.


    His childhood was trash. Garbage. His life only started to pick up after a clergyman picked him up and introduced him to Goddess Eula''s religion. From that point on, he became invested in this pure faith he had. It wasn''t baseless. He knew that he had a special affinity for the deity because even from when he first clasped his hands together and prayed to the deity, he felt a warm light surging in his heart, as if cleansing and purifying him from deep within. It felt very comfortable.


    After polishing his faith and nurturing  his ability, he grew stronger and stronger until he was discovered by the Holy Land''s people and taken to Palla. At first, he thought that this would be a great chance for him to get closer to the deity. His beliefs on the people in charge were the same ones he had towards the clergyman who picked him up, when the reality was obviously different.


    Alas, he managed to twist his rights and get a secluded Tower where he could freely spend his time devoting himself. The altar was built along with time, because he slowly began to hear the Goddess'' voice more clearly thanks to Palla''s high energy concentration. He then built the altar and set everything up. Then, he could finally land his eyes on the Goddess'' peerless visage and charm.


    It was the most captivating sight that he had ever witnessed.

 Chapter 79 - 2.40

    "My Goddess.. If this is your will, then I shall do whatever you want. If you choose to support her, then she will also have my support." He clasped his hands, praying his hardest. His brows were knitted as he struggled to cleanse his mind out of the pitiful envy and jealousy he harbored.


    Love. Perhaps what he felt towards the Goddess was not merely unshakable faith anymore, but romantic feelings were also mixed into it.


    But she was a deity, and he was just a mortal. How could he cross the border that divided them into clearly two different groups?


    The encounter with Xu Jiaqi made him realize that he wanted something more with the Goddess. Crossing the forbidden border within a deity and a human.


    To be exact, he had already been harboring these feelings, but the jealousy of not getting to see the Goddess at his own will without having to rely on the altar made him be extra convinced. He wanted to be with the Goddess, and getting to see her after having to administer a lot of efforts didn''t satisfy him anymore.


    He wanted to truly be on par with the deity. Even though this was an impossible feat that he could never accomplish within his entire lifetime. He was a human, albeit a bit stronger than normal people. This would lead to his lifetime being elongated, but he would still grow old, and age until he died and is buried six feet under.


    He wasn''t worthy of staying with the Goddess. Even if he did obtain her heart, he would have to leave her eventually. And he did not wish for that.


    In the end, there was no chance for him. Even if he wanted to fight for this worthless love, there was no way that they could be together.


    He continued to pray, forgetting about these toxic and conflicting thoughts.


    Despite all of his efforts, he ended up not being to focus because he was too occupied with the presence of the Goddess being right beside him. He felt uncomfortable and ended up descending down from his Tower, aiming to find out more about the woman called Ariel Maine.


    He visited the Cardinal, who was shocked at his arrival because it was widely known that the First Child never left his abode unless there was an important and pressing matter.


    Ezra began to discuss about Ariel''s identity with the Cardinal, to which the latter expressed his surprise at how this young man was showing interest towards this candidate that had just arrived.


    "Ezra, have you taken a liking to this.. girl?" The Cardinal asked cautiously.  He couldn''t be too brazen in front of Ezra even if he wanted to. Ezra was on par with him when he received his evaluation two years ago, and he hadn''t tested himself ever since. It wouldn''t be a surprise if the young man had already surpassed him by now.


    And him, the Cardinal, was rather worried by this fact. He was supposed to be the strongest, so that he could hold a firm control over Palla. But since there was Ezra, he couldn''t ensure that the whole land was under his jurisdiction because he had to be careful about the young man. He thought to eradicate or trap him several times when he first saw how much Ezra improved with each time he saw him.


    However, his worries were temporarily subdued when he saw how docile Ezra was acting. The boy didn''t even gather any followers, and insisted that he lived in a secluded Tower all by himself with only one guard staying by. Although Ezra was a strong man, he didn''t know how to use and manipulate his power.


    The Cardinal knew that the sole reason Ezra was still here in Palla despite knowing and loathing the unscrupulous actions some people took was because this place is known for being the closest to the Goddess'' heart. The man was eerily devoted to the Goddess for unknown reasons, but his strong Holy power and purity did attest to his intentions.


    That was why, the Cardinal curbed his worries. Up until now, that is.


    Ezra paying a visit was already something terribly rare. Not to mention, he directly asked for the information of the current Saintess candidates and skimmed through all the pages until his eyes landed on a certain file.


    Ariel Maine''s file.


    Who was Ariel Maine? She was the daughter of Duke Reginald Maine, despite being an illegitimate child. The Cardinal had once sought out Reginald''s daughter so that he could manipulate some things and turn the Maines into one of his connections, but the girl he expected to come was Ariana, not this one.


    Thus, he didn''t pay any particular special attention to her. But now that Ezra was looking at this trivial person, could it be that there was something much deeper hidden behind her?


    Or perhaps? This was Ezra''s way of declaring that he would start to gather his comrades, a declaration that he, the Cardinal, should protect his seat well if he did not want to be dethroned?


    What was Ezra thinking?!


    Anxiously, the Cardinal, whose name was Gallius Stephen observed every move Ezra made with sharp and suspecting eyes.


    Ezra was still in a daze as he stared at the portrait plastered on Ariel''s file. The portrait was taken back when Ariel was still in the Maine Dukedom, so she looked considerably thinner and much more frail than she already was right now.


    More importantly, the current Ariel had been blessed by the Goddess and would undergo appearance changes when the Goddess blesses her firmly once more in the Saintess trial.


    He had to be there. To witness the birth of the Goddess'' preferred girl.


    A competitive feeling rose inside his heart. Towards Ariel Maine. The one who was taking away the Goddess'' attention away from him and even received greater favors from him.


    Why was it her? What did she have that he didn''t?


    Was he, Ezra Lancaster lacking? Despite all the efforts that he had done to serve the Goddess?

 Chapter 80 - 2.41

    Due to Ezra not answering even one of the Cardinal''s questions, the latter soon grew angrier and couldn''t take it anymore.


    "It is not appropriate for this conversation to be continued further. I have to attend other matters. Ezra Lancaster, quick, state your intentions in placing your eyes on this girl! If you do not comply, then you will be treated as having opposed me, the Cardinal and my orders!" The Cardinal berated.


    Even though there was still the matter of Ezra being excessively strong, he still had authority. If they all bonded against Ezra and killed him off, it was possible. But Ezra''s identity as their one and only person titled ''Child'' had been made aware throughout the lands, so killing him off would be nothing but a detrimental choice for them.


    Despite disliking what they had to face, the Cardinal still had to bear it and let him live unless he fell and succumbed to his own stupidity and was consumed by foolishness. He had been waiting for the perfect chance to take this man away, to sweep him off and destroy him in order to solidify his position.


    But he always confined himself to the Tower, and refused to show himself.


    After sending a glance towards the angered Cardinal, Ezra collected all the files back together and stored them into the envelope again.


    "Ariel Maine will be an important figure. I can see it. The Goddess told me that she favored this girl, so I went here to learn more about her. The next Saintess trial, I shall attend it. I want to see this girl and the glory that our Goddess is going to show to us." Ezra stated with a joyful tone as he dropped the truth bomb that the Cardinal had been dying to get to know.


    It was all acting, to be honest. He had already met her, and he also witnessed her strangeness. He knew about her, but pretended to come here in order to set up Ariel Maine''s welcoming. This was the wish that the Goddess had, so he wanted to follow it despite feeling vexed.


    With sparkling eyes that seemed more innocent than that of an infant''s, and a mouth singing praises to the Goddess like a broken tape recorder, the Cardinal unknowingly let out a sigh full of relief.


    It turned out that Ariel Maine was someone who the Goddess was... What??


    The Goddess favored who?!


    "Ezra, what did you say? The Goddess.. Towards this girl?" The Cardinal no longer suspected Ezra and was focused on this candidate instead.


    The Cardinal wasn''t surprised that Ezra was able to hear the Goddess'' voice, because the deity truly did impart the humankind with some words from time to time in important situations. This time, the Goddess chose Ezra to be a messenger of sorts.


    The Cardinal''s brain began racking up plans on how he could manipulate this information to his own benefits. Since Ezra couldn''t have lied about such a thing judging from his personality and beliefs, then it must be true. Then, he had to work fast!


    There was a high chance that this girl was definitely going to be the Saintess.


    One could only imagine how much they would be able to soar if the Goddess really was trying to openly support this girl. Not only will they gain more recognition, this power will also naturally be a great blessing to them.


    "Yes.. the Goddess has spoken. She couldn''t possibly have lied to me. She is the most benevolent and truthful of all, a beautiful spirit that protects us.. I believe that this Saintess candidate also has a purpose to serve the Goddess, and the power that will be granted to her would naturally deserve our utmost respect." Ezra spoke with great valor, showcasing his exemplary acting at being a braindead worshipper.


    The Cardinal''s heart jumped with delight.


    If this girl did receive the Goddess'' favor, and he was able to turn her into her ally, doesn''t this mean that he would be able to keep Ezra in check for the rest of the time? The man was loyal to the Goddess, and having this girl as the Saintess meant that Ezra would support her.


    If he was able to bend the girl to his will... It would be perfect!


    Sinister thoughts started brewing inside the Cardinal''s head. Little did he know, the one who was trapped inside a ploy wasn''t going to be Ezra or Ariel, but himself and the rest of the crime polluted lands.


    The reformation was nearing with each passing second, and Ezra was a key point to make everything work.


    If Ezra didn''t betray them, didn''t go crazy, and stayed on the path until the very end... It would be checkmate.


    But would he keep his love pure? Would he not go twisted, go ballistic because of how impenetrable the barrier between him and the Goddess was?


    Would he be satisfied as an observer, as a mere human who couldn''t do anything but watch the Goddess?


    Or would he.. try to rebel?


    Ezra left the building after having finished his part. His intentions were not only to capture information about Ariel, but also to play his role as a supporter.


    For now, he would stick to the plan because he didn''t know what else to do.


    A grim look was present on his face as he walked back to the Tower and immediately went back to sleep without praying- a thing that he had never done before in the past years after having converted to worshipping Goddess Eula.


    Unbeknownst to him, the Goddess, who still stayed inside the Tower had a complicated expression on her face as she watched the boy that she accompanied throughout the years.


    It wasn''t like she was unaware of Ezra''s feelings. And it wasn''t like she didn''t reciprocate the emotions.


    It was just that the moment she wanted to love Ezra completely, as an equal partner, would mean that she was willing to sacrifice her divinity and scrape off her powers completely.


    There was a way to become a mortal from being a deity.

 Chapter 81 - 2.42

    It was impossible for a mere human to fully turn into a deity, but possible for a deity to fully turn into a mortal.


    The mortal deity would never be as powerful as the original because a mortal''s soul is nowhere near as strong as a deity''s. A born deity''s soul was purposely primed to be strong enough to handle the divinity and thus, be the perfect container for it.


    But once a deity decides to rescind their power, they would fall down to the mortal world and live on Eventually, time would be able to catch up with them and push them to their deaths.


    It required her to sign a pact, a willing pact that she wanted to essentially pass on her divinity to another. However, in order to keep herself alive, she would need to separate just the slightest bit of that divinity and keep living in the mortal world as a human. Just like Ezra.


    Unlike the young man, she was much more sensitive towards her own changing feelings and emotions and could detect the unnatural fondness she had for this human that she had watched grow up. At first, she naturally didn''t have romantic feelings towards him, it was just pure curiosity because of how rare a child with this level of faith was.


    With more time she spent beside the child, watching him silently, she became more invested. She knew every single nook and cranny of him because shamefully, she had encountered all sorts of different situations- some that she would gladly say out loud and the unmentionable others. Embarrassing sides of Ezra, the cool and amazing side, the peaceful and calm side, all types of Ezra Lancaster.


    She wasn''t the first deity to ever pay this much attention to a human, nor was she the first one to want to harbor romantic feelings. There were quite some deities that fell into the trap of love. They didn''t end well, which was why Eula was unwilling to turn into this path, knowing that she would certainly be doomed.


    Love was not as pretty as it seemed. Most of the deities who switched voiced that they were much happier when their divinity was still in their grasps, and regret was a constant thing inside their hearts every time their life did not work out. Because they were originally omnipotent beings, it would be severely hard for them to be the weakest of the weak.


    Not only the harsh adaptation process, it was also common for strong deities to be consumed into the path of obsessive love. The deities were not primed to fall in love like a normal person should, so when they get introduced to humans'' kind of love, they will become overwhelmed and wouldn''t be able to restrain themselves correctly.


    The following morning, Xu Jiaqi could instantly tell that there was something off when she ''visited'' Ezra for the second time, going through the same path she crossed yesterday.


    "...Is there something wrong?"    Xu Jiaqi couldn''t ease her mind up seeing Ezra with such a gloomy expression, like he was about to throw up at any given moment. What had caused the man to turn this way after she had just left him for less than a day?


    "No.. there is nothing. Why did you visit today?" Ezra spoke coldly.


    "Well, I was just.. bored, I guess. But I don''t think that there''s nothing wrong with you.. I don''t see the Goddess. Where is she?"


    "..How would I know? You are the one she favors, so you should ask yourself instead." Ezra rebutted harshly.


    Xu Jiaqi was puzzled, but then her mind started working and filling up the unsolved puzzle. Ezra was clearly burdened with the thoughts of the Goddess.


    She wasn''t sensitive to this kind of thing, but because she was placed in a position where she had to engage in romantic settings in the previous world, she studied a lot about psychology and the absolute tips and tricks for a budding love.


    The symptom that Ezra was currently experiencing was diagnosed by Xu Jiaqi as.. nothing other than the legendary lovesickness!


    Well, she wasn''t sure, but she had a strong feeling that she had hit the mark.


    "Ezra, are you mad at the Goddess?"


    "I couldn''t possibly- Such a thing, I wouldn''t do that at all costs!"


    "Then, do you love her?" A direct question, aimed straight at Ezra''s heart without mercy.


    "Love.. w-what are you saying?" Ezra began to stutter, not knowing how to respond.


    "It''s obvious, you know~" Xu Jiaqi spoke in a playful tone to bait the man out.


    "It''s- Is it really..?"


    There!


    The fish was caught on the hook.


    "It really is~ Perhaps, if you want to tell me what your troubles are, I would be able to help you with it? I''m one of the Goddess'' kin now, right? A bit of her divinity is within me. I should be trustable, right?"


    ''System, I heard that being a love doctor is pretty fun!''


    [You were the one who didn''t want anything to do with romance...? If karma gets you back in the future, I won''t be there to protect you, alright?]


    ''Hm, hm. I''m just fooling around.''


    Little did she know, karma really would chase her down and pin her fate.


    "So, are you ready to speak now?" Xu Jiaqi asked.


    Ezra''s head was lowered down, and he was obviously reluctant to speak. He casted his glance upon Xu Jiaqi a few times before hurriedly turning his gaze away.


    This kind of jittery gestures continued for a few more times before Ezra took a huge breath in, exhaled, and shut his eyes tightly.


    "It''s just as you said.. I think I love the Goddess. But it''s so foolish. I must be the dumbest person to ever exist, right? It''s clear that I''m just a human, while the Goddess is.. well, a Goddess." Ezra finally confessed.


    Perhaps because Xu Jiaqi did mention that she was the Goddess'' kin, Ezra found it easier to embody the deity''s self inside Xu Jiaqi. Because the Goddess'' eyes and choice couldn''t be wrong, this eccentric girl should also not be a bad soul.


    He brainwashed himself, making it seem like he was pouring his heart out to the real thing and not just counseling with this random girl he had just met.

 Chapter 82 - 2.43

    Ezra continued to let out his pent up frustrations, especially after being informed by Xu Jiaqi that the Goddess was nowhere to be found in the vicinity.


    After hearing everything, Xu Jiaqi was tempted to pick his ears because of how itchy it was getting from the amount of repetitive statements Ezra uttered.


    ''Yo, System, this plan is going to fall apart if these two''s problems aren''t solved first. They are like a newly married couple.. They know each other so well and are willing to spend the rest of their lives with each other, but is still shy and wastes time doing nothing because of that... Not to mention, how can someone be as indecisive as Ezra?! He can''t even decide what he wants to think about!''


    [Host, what kind of analogy is that?] The System wanted to raise a brow.


    ''A good analogy?''


    [Ha! Good joke. All that aside, however... I don''t know about this. A deity and a human.. It''s a line that is hard to cross. It shouldn''t be crossed for the sake of everyone. A deity has their own irreplaceable duties, and since Eula is the only one governing this world, if she wants to give her power away then another deity has to take charge. Lest the world falls apart because there is no balancing factor that ties everything up nicely. Eula is essential to this world.]


    ''I know that, so that is why I want to ask you how we can make this love story happen?!''


    [What?? Host, are you crazy?! You should prevent this case instead of supporting it! Did you not hear what I said?! We can''t find a replacement! If we could, it would''ve been a different story, but there''s no one of Eula''s equal that could take on this duty.]


    ''You know, System, I thought that you were smarter than this.''


    [W-what?!]


    ''I peeked into your features, and it says that you can ''tweak'' the data inside a world. Normally, since the fate runs automatically, we can''t really ''tweak'' anything major. But this time, we can directly meet the person in charge, the Goddess herself! If Goddess Eula wills for our deeds to happen.. Can''t we just, you know, insert a... false God?''


    [No. That is a terrible plan that will never work. We will have to leave this world in the future, and if we carelessly tweak things like this, it will lead to this world''s downfall. We can''t let that happen. Even if you scare the daylights out of me, I will never let this kind of thing pass!] The System stayed strong as he voiced his rejection.


    ''What if I said that.. It will work?''


    [...Out of curiosity- I will hear you out.]


    ''You see, from what Goddess Eula says, the divinity can''t be destroyed, but it can be passed around, right? Then, we should not create an intelligent being, but instead create a stationary system that could contain the divinity of Goddess Eula. This item would then be given to the mortal Eula and Ezra for safekeeping, from which they would be able to live on happily while controlling the divine power. As for when they die, this is where the fun theory comes to part.''


    ''Divinity can not be destroyed. This is the basis of all of this. Give Ezra a bit of divinity, give Eula a bit of it too. Their souls will always continue to contain this divine power. This little bit of power would make them eternal wielders of the world''s ''controller'', and they would always reincarnate inside the world with their memories if you tweak that thing too. Thus, they could be the holders of the item forever until they pass it onto somebody and decide to die.''


    [You.. this is tweaking the entire world! You want me to program all of these?! This is nuts!]


    ''So you''re not saying that it''s impossible anymore. That''s a thing to be mindful of. It is possible, right?''


    [Well- if Goddess Eula permits it, I can start working on it. But there are so many thing that could go wrong with this...]


    ''We are going to give the choice to Eula and Ezra. They seem like they would make a lovely couple, no? If they truly become the eternal holders, then this would also correlate and come back full circle to the thing I wanted to pursue before. A long lasting prospering world. They would be a living controller of the world despite being mortals, building their status and power. The choice is theirs, so we will make them sign a pact that we are by no means entitled to this matter''s responsibility. It''s completely theirs. If they got bored, then the world will crumble and it would be their fault. We will be inside another world and have no part in this activity.''


    Xu Jiaqi had thought of all the paths reasonably, and made sure that their dynamic duo wouldn''t be affected the slightest bit by the outcome.


    That was how perfect Xu Jiaqi''s way of dealing things were. You wouldn''t be able to find a single speck of mistake no matter how hard you look into it.


    [...I give up. Stop trying to debate with me, I don''t have the patience to deal with you... Let''s just ask them the next time we see them together.. Haa, I still can''t believe you. From where did I pick up a crooked Host like you?!]


    ''Mhm, I was thinking about the same thing. It should be at the peak of their emotions so they could fully consider the risks and benefits. As for now, it''s time to play the hero again. We will build our supporters and make it unable for the others to retaliate against us.'' Xu Jiaqi did not retaliate in a negative manner and instead joked as the System''s frustration piled up.


    Precisely because he was the one who had to work everything out! These tweaks, does his Host think that it was as easy as cutting a pie?!

 Chapter 83 - 2.44

    Xu Jiaqi left after hearing the complete rant of a certain Ezra Lancaster. He turned out to be quite a blabbermouth, so much that Xu Jiaqi was dried up when she left the Tower. Once she left and returned to her abode, she was then met with a fuming Zenith who had a disappointed look to his face.


    Xu Jiaqi knew that she had spent all day listening to Ezra, so she didn''t even bother rebutting anything that Zenith said because she knew that it was her fault she didn''t inform the man ahead of time.


    She ended up getting scolded, making her ears even more tired. She returned to her room and parted with the man, slumping down on the bed after cleaning herself. After practicing her magic again, she earned her beauty sleep and passed out until the next day came.


    They only had to wait for a few days before they were called to the main hall to undergo the first Saintess candidacy trial. Everyone there were swept in a flurry of emotions. Some were calm, but their eyes clearly displayed a strong intent to overpower the others and analyze one another.


    To prepare, Xu Jiaqi visited Ezra from time to time, and spent the rest of her time practicing. She knew that she couldn''t be overconfident. What she was facing was not just normal people, but the leads. They could pull out a lot of bullshit plot armor out of their sleeves, so there was nothing that could prepare her enough.


    Xu Jiaqi smirked internally, as she had already learned everything she could about these people. Perhaps, she knew some of them better than their own biological parents at this point.


    From the corner of her eyes, she could spot the figure of Serenia Aubellin making friends with the others. Some of them replied back to her with friendliness, but some of them were apathetic like Xu Jiaqi.


    In total, there were twenty candidates. These twenty girls, including herself, were people who were famous for their aptitude towards the Holy power even before the Saintess selection program was announced.


    Xu Jiaqi went to a nearby corner and kept her head lowered down. She was talking with the System, discussing about their set of plans in order to make it perfect. She went over the original story, and knew that the Crown Prince would come only after the trial ended.


    In the original, Serenia was the one to take the victory for this trial. The Crown Prince, who saw the female lead''s power, was entranced and asked her out for a dinner to have a chat under the premise of making friends. Of course, his intentions were not pure at all. Serenia was very capable at reeling men in and keeping them wrapped under her fingers. As pure as she portrayed herself to be, she was not at all pure in terms of relationships.


    A lot of people ended up opposing Serenia and her ways when her illicit affairs with many strong men were exposed, but her harem protected her nonetheless, even though they themselves hated the thought of sharing their woman with each other at first.


    It was as if Serenia had cast a spell over them, bewitching them and creating an addictive effect that they could never forget. Like a siren''s call, they heeded her wishes even though they knew that they shouldn''t.


    It was a bit twisted when you look at it from an inside character''s perspective and not as the reader.


    [Host, they are here.] The System alerted Xu Jiaqi.


    The Cardinal, Ezra, and other inquisitors and leaders were in front of the huge door. Within seconds, the door was pushed open, revealing their figures. Xu Jiaqi took a quick glance and swept over all of them, colliding with Ezra''s glance once before shifting away.


    "Announcing the arrival of the Highest Cardinal, and the First Child!" A loud voice rang and boomed throughout the room.


    Murmurs died down. They collectively bowed down until the Cardinal''s group passed through them. The Cardinal and the Ezra stepped up to the platform that had a crystal ball positioned in the middle. It was a voice amplifier device meant to act as a microphone.


    The Cardinal began to speak.


    "The Goddess has blessed us with this bright and lovely day. It is only due to her grace that we are able to gather here in this sacred land. Young maidens, it is a pleasure to finally be able to meet you all like this. I have great expectations for you all talented folks that has been selected from the best. The Saintess is an honorable position that we can not afford to ignore. Prove yourself and your worth! Prove that you are capable of serving the Goddess and live up to the majestic title! There can only be one Saintess, and I hope that you all will compete in a healthy way until only one candidate remains, being the most suitable out of them all." The Cardinal uttered his long opening speech.


    The girls'' eyes were all on him and the large statue behind him. It was the statue of Goddess Eula. The first trial was very simple. It was to demonstrate how you prayed towards the Holy Statue. It was constructed with the finest of magic stones and will be able to resonate with one''s faith and purity. The greater the prayer''s capabilities are, the flashier the effect will be.


    This was like an entrance exam to the candidates. Determining how well they fared against each other, and how high their chances of winning were. However, one had to note that not only power mattered when it came to subduing the Saintess position.


    Connections, power, and relationships also mattered a lot. Previously, Serenia won the title because she managed to form all the connections after coming from a rather shabby background.


    If these connections were stripped away from her, the likely winner would''ve been Glazelle Sylvia Viennel Jean-Luc Quinnard.

 Chapter 84 - 2.45

    What kind of name is that? How long!


    Glazelle Silvia Viennel Jean-Luc Quinnard.


    That type of long, obnoxious name, with the same characteristics as a certain male lead... Correct. Glazelle Quinnard was no one else but...


    A literal princess of the Empire.


    It was widely known that the Empire and the Holy Land was like fire and water. Two sides of a coin. They could never meet each other on a stable point.


    To break this balance off, Glazelle was the first princess to be sent as a Saintess candidate. The Emperor''s desire for approving this trade was unknown, but why send his daughter if it wasn''t for acquiring the Saintess position?


    Glazelle Quinnard was currently standing quite arrogantly, her head raised high. She was one of the few who refused to have any contact with Serenia Aubellin earlier. The girl believed that she was sent here to fulfill one purpose, and that was to snatch the position away and make her father proud with her results. She need not mingle with these candidates.


    Being backed up by the Imperial family, who dared to steal the position away from her? More like, who could do that?


    Of course, Ariel didn''t know how she turned out to be in the original story after the fact that the Saintess that was chosen turned out to be Serenia. She thought that she had the utmost backing of the empire, but it was probably just a little experiment by the Emperor, not meaning much of it.


    Glazelle did have strong powers. However, she was too occupied with the thought of being clean and above the others. Humility was not a word in her dictionary. She was born and raised as a princess, having manners drilled down to her and the understanding of a royalty imprinted on her heart.


    Thus, although her Holy aptitude was quite great, she ended up placing fourth on this first trial because she wouldn''t be able to channel the Holy light a lot.


    Xu Jiaqi had asked the Goddess about this topic. She had never instructed the humans to use this kind of method for a trial, but she did interfere in the results each candidate will get after seeing how much the humans believed that this method would work.


    The prayer didn''t matter.


    What mattered was one''s aptitude and their thoughts.


    Thus, there was a secret to solving this Holy power predicament.


    People thought that as long as they served the Goddess, they would be blessed with power.


    But in truth, you didn''t even need to utter a prayer because the Goddess didn''t stay to hear them.


    You just need to brainwash yourself that you are nothing but the Goddess'' sheep.


    In the words of Goddess Eula: "I quite like to be praised, so let them sing songs of praise towards me and nothing else. They decided to use me to their liking, so isn''t it natural that their powers should only come when they admit that they are below me?"


    Knowing this, Xu Jiaqi was sure that she would be able to win.


    Because she and her System had prepared the secret weapon.


    A script that was full with nothing but the holiest of words meant to be aimed towards Goddess Eula. Even without the Goddess'' help for her favors, Xu Jiaqi was sure that her thoughts itself would be enough to make the statue shine bright.


    Of course, the Goddess'' powers would also amplify this effect.


    Her turn soon came after the rows of other candidates that have tried their luck, offering their prayers with the best of their efforts. Some turned out great, and the others could only light up parts of the statue, not even covering half of it.


    Serenia was quite formidable and did live up to her honor as the female lead. She was able to light up almost every part of the statue with a decent luminosity, and was able to earn the subtle wows from the crowd.


    The other candidate who stood out was a plain girl named Heidi, who basically did what Serenia achieved, but with lesser magnitude.


    Xu Jiaqi was unexpectedly the last to come up.


    It just so happened that she planned to steal the show. She would give the perfect ending to this farce.


    With a calm smile, she stepped up to the altar and faced the statue.


    No sound came out of her unlike the other candidates.


    She sat there calmly. Looking at the Goddess'' face with confidence in her eyes.


    ...


    My omnipotent Goddess..


    Please guide this lost sheep of yours and bestow me your grace...


    For I am nothing but a weak and hopeless little one in front of your presence...


    ...


    "I made the key to obtaining the victory to be lowering yourself as much as possible!"


    The Goddess felt cheated that her name was being used everywhere, so she wanted them to realize how dirty and low they are. That is why, the correct prayer was nonexistent, and all that should exist was just a mouth that worked like a God-tier salaryman''s. Praise her until your throat bled.


    Xu Jiaqi focused on letting the System arrange her thoughts for her, and she only had to sit back and relax. The script was read out loud in her heart, and the statue began to react.


    LIght.


    The light was simply blinding. The room instantly heated up because of the sheer brightness and energy that was coming out of it. The huge building was instantly illuminated, and some rays even fought to escape the enclosed place.


    There were literal sparkles surrounding Xu Jiaqi as she opened her eyes and stood up.


    Her hair floated in the air, as if a massive turbulence was behind her when there was no wind at all. Xu Jiaqi got up from her praying position.


    Unbeknownst to her, the Goddess was playful and decided to modify her appearance to her liking.


    The most beautiful human. Would the world beautiful be worthy to describe the current Xu Jiaqi?


    An impossible beauty. Crafted by the hands of the Goddess herself.


    She was the embodiment of light, the Goddess'' religion.


    As if telling the rest of the candidates that there was no longer a need to compete.


    That she alone, Ariel Maine, was the Saintess that should be wearing the Holy Crown and Sceptre as proof of her status. No one could shine as bright as herself.


    She was the one, the brightest of them all, the Chosen One.

 Chapter 85 - 2.46

    "O-oh dear Heavens.. this light is.." One of the priests spoke out loud, his mouth gaped wide as he shielded his vision from the intense light. Trembling, he fell to his knees and lowered his head to the ground.


    "Our Goddess has spoken! Our Goddess has given us her light!" One shout turned into two, five, and soon, the entire hall was ringing with shouts of worship and praise.


    This day was marked down as a legendary event in which a Saintess candidate named Ariel Maine was blessed by the Goddess'' grace and received bountiful rewards for it. The word was spread far and wide, and reached the ears of everyone including the house of Maine.


    The First Child Ezra Lancaster also gave his approval towards the candidate directly, confirming that the blessing she had received was truthful and should be celebrated. In front of all the watching eyes, he asked the Cardinal for permission to mingle with the candidate. Everybody knew how much the First Child loved the Goddess, so no one found it odd that he wanted to get along with whoever was his kin.


    The Cardinal also thought similarly, and remembering his last meeting with Ezra, he permitted the request. He thought that with this, the future powerful Saintess will be tied down to the Holy Land, and she might even be able to shake the mind of Ezra, who up until now refused to stand in the name of Palla.


    Their strength would grow! It seemed like the day when the Holy Land would stand taller than the Empire was nearing.


    Ariel Maine''s features were uplifted, her eyes sparkled as clear as a pristine sea, and her hair becoming the embodiment of light itself. Those who saw her appearance were instantly amazed and awed.


    The rise of Ariel Maine began.


    Hearing this joyous news, the Duke, who thought that he could make use of the situation tried to send messengers to Xu Jiaqi in order to relay what she should be doing from now on. Reginald still thought that he had a leash on Xu Jiaqi and that he was free to do whatever he wanted.


    He couldn''t have been more wrong. Xu Jiaqi deflected all the messages and calls with the excuse of focusing on the Saintess candidacy program and hid away, nurturing her plans. She left Zenith to deal with the envoys and the people who went to seek her out after hearing the great powers she had.


    Zenith was not happy, but he complied with her orders since he too, was enraged by how the Duke acted. The daughter that he had thrown out suddenly showed signs of being successful, and now he wanted to take a bite out of the cake even though he had done nothing but stump her growth?


    Zenith imagined how much better his lady''s conditions and strength would have been if it wasn''t for the fact that the Duke allowed injustice to be made against the lady. How much brighter she would''ve shone.


    Of course, the lady herself was lazing around inside the Tower since her powers were mostly dormant right now. The effects of the Goddess'' blessing were truly spectacular. She felt like she had stepped over the limits of human achievements. The pinnacle of strength comparable to none but actual deities.


    More than anything, she preferred to think about Ezra and the Goddess'' love story. She hadn''t gotten a chance to proclaim her plan yet because they chose to not speak about their feelings after the incident. Everything had gone back to normal, even though there was a clear elephant in the room.


    With an amused look, she frequently visited Ezra''s Tower, which was a displeasing fact to Zenith. However, since he was also aware that the two of them were basically peas of the same pod, he couldn''t exactly forbid it.


    The second trial, Xu Jiaqi passed through it with ease due to the Goddess'' aid. The third was also similar. The fourth, which was determined to be the last test before the Saintess was chosen, was a breeze to Xu Jiaqi who was now unparalleled in terms of Holy magic.


    Xu Jiaqi''s rise was indeed unobstructed because of how great the Goddess'' blessing was.


    Hence, on the fateful day of the Saintess election... The one who was chosen naturally turned out to be Xu Jiaqi. The Cardinal presented the title with a wide smile blooming on his face.


    Although he did specifically request for a daughter from Maine to be sent here, he actually did not want to form an alliance with Maine. He just wanted to plague the Duke with some trouble since he would have to send his daughter here, and this fact would impact her future in both bad and good ways.


    When Ariel was sent instead, he felt disappointed. But after learning about her deeper... Isn''t she just the perfect Saintess candidate?!


    She was akin to Ezra. He had seen them form a close bond over the candidacy period and was able to confirm that this girl was only keen towards the Goddess! No matter how hard her father tried to extend his claws over her, Xu Jiaqi refused all forms of contacts.


    Thus, this candidate was someone that did not have a backing, but was simultaneously backed by the most powerful sponsor.. the Goddess herself. She did not have much connection to the mortal world.


    So, this was perfect!


    The Cardinal could rest easy about the Saintess shaking up the balance between the two forces of the world. The Holy Land and the Empire. He had been worrying a lot about the outcome of the situation if the Saintess came out to be Serenia Aubellin, who placed second in choice after Xu Jiaqi.


    Serenia was brought by the Crown Prince of Varadan, so electing her would be the same as binding themselves with the Empire. Whereas electing Princess Glazelle would essentially do the same thing, but just not directly towards the Crown Prince.


    If that bond was created, he could only imagine how much the Empire would try to use the Holy Land''s influence. The Crown Prince was smarter than his father. Much more cunning.


    The only way to bypass electing Serenia was.... the Goddess'' influence, which was bestowed upon Ariel Maine.

 Chapter 86 - 2.47

    The Crown Prince must be clenching his fists in anger now!


    The candidate that he had prepared was taken out because of this unaccounted variable. Who would''ve thought that the Goddess would directly interfere with the trials not once, twice, but all four times?!


    There was no longer a need to compete any further. The winner couldn''t be anybody else other than Ariel Maine, if they wanted to heed the Goddess.


    Thus, as the glorious title fell into Xu Jiaqi''s hands, she laughed merrily along with Ezra, the Goddess, and the System.


    Did the Cardinal feel assured since it was Xu Jiaqi and not someone else? Did he? Then, she would personally shatter that assurance of his using someone that he wouldn''t have expected to be capable of a betrayal.


    Ezra Lancaster.


    It was time for their plan to go one step further.


    She had been suppressing the female lead and the male lead''s sister indirectly throughout the candidacy period, making sure that their powers amounted to nothing next to hers.


    What effects would this cause?


    Although she didn''t say it directly, she was opposing the Crown Prince by not letting anything go in his way.


    The Crown Prince wanted to go up the throne with the Holy Land''s influence supporting him, which was why he needed the Saintess to be his. Not only that, his sister was sent there not to take the position, but to establish her fame as a maiden of honor.


    It was to build an image around his reign. That because the Holy Land and the Saintess was supporting him, it meant that him sitting on the throne was also the will of the Goddess.


    It was a perfect seal to becoming a heroic figure.


    But Xu Jiaqi came. The woman named Ariel Maine snatched the position and did the unthinkable.


    Something had to be done sooner or later.


    _____


    One day, as she was taking a stroll around the garden, she was met with someone that she had been expecting for long.


    "Candidate Ariel, may I have a word with you?" A man donned in obvious royal clothing appeared, attracting the attention of many as he approached Xu Jiaqi with a handsome smile.


    It was the Prince of Varadan Empire.


    "Prince Caelum." Xu Jiaqi quickly performed a curtsy before raising her head. Since she was a Saintess  and was already set to usurp the position, there was no longer a need to respect the royalties that much. A simple greeting was enough.


    A Saintess'' position was quite terrifying. Religion could be twisted to one''s will, and one that bore the Goddess'' name to a level like the Saintess'' would naturally have more leeway to this fact.


    Prince Caelum would have been a threat to her if she didn''t meet the Goddess, but who knew that Goddess Eula was such a lax person who would dare bestow her powers to someone she had just met not too long ago?


    "There is no need for the Saintess to be so polite. Please just call me Caelum. Aren''t we equals? We should get along with each other so that a good cooperation will be formed between the Holy Land and the Empire." Prince Caelum spoke with a friendly tone.


    Naturally, Xu Jiaqi, knowing the extent of this prince''s ambitions, wouldn''t be so kind as to entertain his wishes.


    "The prince is jesting. I am nothing but the Goddess'' servant. The Empire is not of my concern, unfortunately. All that I am tasked to do is uphold the Goddess'' expectations on me. The Goddess has recognized the extent of my faith, I couldn''t possibly betray her efforts."


    "I have heard of the rumors, but it seems like the Saintess is truly just like what people have said. Similar to the First Child.. Having a faithful love towards the Goddess. It is truly a blessing that we have you in this world." Prince Caelum chuckled, not minding the ascetic words of Xu Jiaqi.


    Xu Jiaqi continued to respond as if she was a robot specifically created to hurl praises and embody the Goddess in every single action she took. It even made the prince''s facial expression twitch, his mask on the verge of breaking after facing such a stubborn person.


    "E-even so, wouldn''t it be great if we were to talk over a cup of tea sometime? I would love to get to know you." The prince coughed. He was nearing his limit of bullshitting. The woman''s defenses were too powerful.


    Did she not have any desires at all?! He made sure to research every single nook and cranny of her and found out that the Maine household had wronged her a lot in the past. He touched upon this subject, offering to take revenge. He offered riches. Fame. Glory. Position.


    Not a single thing was able to attract Xu Jiaqi.


    Why?


    Xu Jiaqi: All of that would be mine in the end, why do I have to get it from you?


    Xu Jiaqi didn''t like getting things handed to her when she was capable of getting them on her own.


    The Prince continued to blabber his tactics.


    Finally, enough was enough.


    "Prince Caelum, please respect the Saintess'' wishes. The Saintess is someone who is not restricted by the laws of the Empire as she is one of the highest servant of the Goddess. Please watch what you do." Zenith couldn''t take it anymore and stepped forward.


    Since he became the Saintess'' one and only personal knight, his status was raised considerably high. He was also no longer affected by the laws of the Empire and thus, didn''t need to be overly mindful of the prince''s status.


    This was how far Xu Jiaqi had brought him to for now. He had seen the fruits of her planning, and saw how fast she grabbed that Saintess position.


    Who was this prince, for him to try to lure the Saintess like this? He wouldn''t allow it.


    His lady was strong, far stronger than any of them could ever imagine. She didn''t need the prince.


    She was enough to take down the entire world just like she said when months ago.

 Chapter 87 - 2.48

    "...I understand. It''s a pity that things turned out this way. Saintess Ariel, I hope that you achieve a great and fulfilling life." It was unknown what the Crown Prince thought as he said those words.


    He left without saying anything more, but his gaze lingered on Zenith for a few seconds longer. A trace of doubt and disgust was present in his eyes, which was caught by Zenith with ease. Of course, he paid no heed to it.


    Xu Jiaqi walked away from the spot and entered her private Saintess quarters. Even though legally, he couldn''t enter, Zenith followed her closely, as he was allowed entry by the lady who told him that she would be covering his whole being up with magic.


    Once they entered her room, Xu Jiaqi sat down and let out a sigh.


    Zenith vividly remembered that he was very flustered when he was first pushed into the lady''s abode.


    "Um- Lady Ariel.. Did I overstep my bounds?" Zenith asked with worry. His only source of worry became this lady that he exclusively served. His life revolved around her now because there really was nothing else to do for him.


    Even though he was titled a Knight, because he was the Knight of a Saintess, he didn''t need to fulfill a typical Knight''s duties. He only needed to stay close to Xu Jiaqi and protect her. Something that he thought was getting increasingly difficult to do since the lady would disappear on her own without notifying him from time to time.


    "No. I was also discomforted by him. It''s alright. Forget about that... Is there anything urgent or specific that I need to do as a Saintess? Or a matter that you think I have to pay attention to."


    "Well.. First of all, the matter about the Crown Prince.. People will certainly seek you out to create a connection with you just so they would be able to leech off of you.. It''s just like that. Your name has also spread quite far before you even became the Saintess because of when you helped those two villages.. Also, your Holy power is nothing to be joked about. Naturally, these people would want to associate themselves with you." Zenith coughed and spoke.


    "And I can''t just ignore them?"


    "It depends. There is only three people that you need to consider. First, the Cardinal. Second, the Emperor. And third, the Crown Prince. Although we fended him off today, he will definitely try to come back again. He has been aiming to form an alliance with the Holy Land for long, it''s a known secret that he wants to increase the Empire''s influence directly through getting the Saintess in his hands. He won''t give up easily."


    Xu Jiaqi smiled. Indeed, Zenith was a smart fellow. He voiced out exactly what Xu Jiaqi and the System figured out. The Crown Prince might have to be removed altogether at this rate. At first, she only planned to change the Holy Land''s influence, thinking that the Empire would be affected similarly.


    But if it is someone like Caelum, her plans might have to be altered slightly. With her good eyes, she saw how elusive and crafty the man could be. Even though she pretended to not have seen anything, she had eyes everywhere due to her System.


    The Crown Prince still tried to communicate with Serenia and sometimes Glazelle even as the candidacy period started. Serenia seemed to think that the man liked him because of how special he was treating her, but that couldn''t be the case.


    His eyes were filled with fraud and dishonesty to the point where Xu Jiaqi almost felt bad for Serenia.


    ''Do I have to eliminate the Quinnards?'' Xu Jiaqi thought.


    With ease, she opened up a sound blocking barrier just to be secure. Her eyes lifted up as she smiled.


    "Then, what do you think is needed to start a new Imperial family?"


    "...A trustworthy Ruler that is loved by the people and will be able to stabilize the court. Unless you want to take a tyrannical path, there is no way that one could just alter the court to their liking.. There is also the matter of nobility ranks. The Empire is very keen on upholding the strict hierarchy... I suppose." Zenith answered doubtfully. He was unsure of her intentions, but he had a bad premonition about it.


    "So, someone like you?" Xu Jiaqi laughed.


    If it was Zenith, he would be able to gain the people''s support. The court will be harder to take care of, and that goes the same from the noble families.


    But with just a few tricks, she would be able to handle it. The power of a Saintess was in her hands, and the moment Ezra became Cardinal would also somewhat be the moment she became the ruler of the Holy Land.


    As they got along better, Ezra had practically submitted himself to Xu Jiaqi because of the Goddess'' will. He followed it strictly like a baby chick. Xu Jiaqi''s will would soon be Ezra''s will. The Goddess will approve nonetheless since it would end up in her power being restored.


    Although Xu Jiaqi hadn''t spoken about her possible plan to unite the couple using the System and the Goddess'' cooperation, she still planned to fulfill her end of the deal. Giving back the Goddess'' powers.


    Then, it was settled for now.


    Xu Jiaqi laughed in joy, picking up a folding fan that she had lying on the table beside her.


    It was the fan that the System gave her for completing the previous world, but she had taken a liking to it and decided to bring it out without even planning to use it.


    She pointed the fan towards Zenith, her faithful Knight. Standing up from her chair, she placed the fan on the bottom of Zenith''s chin and raised it upwards gently.


    "Zenith, my lovely Knight, shall I present the Emperor''s seat to you?" Xu Jiaqi gazed lovingly towards Zenith, making him flush up and stagger backwards.

 Chapter 88 - 2.49

    "This is an order. I will do everything, you just have to wait until the seat is vacant. So... sit there nice and tight when I tell you to do so. Can you do that?" Xu Jiaqi smiled blissfully.


    His heartbeat was going out of control, and he covered his face with a hand to hide his flustered expression. He thought that he was someone who could hide his emotions very well, but in front of his lady, all of his defenses seemed to be torn apart in an instant.


    "The Emperor.. is not an easy enemy." Zenith finally spoke up after dozing out for a few seconds.


    "There is a way. The Goddess is on my side, and so will the Holy Land. The Cardinal won''t even be able to hold a candle against me by then. We might have to do some charity work after all. As hypocritical as it might seem, I will become the people''s angel. They won''t know anything, but they will support the angelic Saintess that actually saves them instead of telling them to pray to the Goddess, right?" Xu Jiaqi raised her brows in delight.


    -You are already an angel in my eyes.-


    Such a thought flashed through Zenith''s mind for a second, leaving him stunned at how his mind was betraying him. His heart was telling him that.. there was a desire that he had to obtain. It wasn''t strength, it wasn''t power, glory, or anything like that.


    It was something much more important to him, as Zenith Ahgren. His lady, someone he wished to protect, someone he couldn''t bear leaving anymore.


    Pursing his lips, he imagined himself as the Emperor. If he was truly the Emperor, then could he.. be with the lady? She was a Saintess. Albeit there being rules that stated how a Saintess should keep herself pure and chaste, once he got to the Emperor''s seat, couldn''t he bend this rule easily?


    Who would be able to oppose it?


    Of course, the lady herself. How could someone like him enter the eyes of the lady?


    If he became the Emperor... No, it wasn''t just a hypothetical situation anymore. The lady was very frank with her words, but she never spoke lightly of her plans. Since she had posed this question to him, it was certain that the lady was confident in her victory, that she would be able to pull off this outrageous feat.


    "My lady.. if I became the Emperor, could I ask you for one reward?"


    His mind was slowly being led towards agreeing with this whole offer.


    "Sure thing. You may ask whatever you want, and I will unconditionally follow it." Xu Jiaqi confidently answered. It was unlike her, who wouldn''t promise such an inconvenient thing that would certainly put her at an obvious disadvantage.


    But, there was indeed a proper reason for it.


    She just didn''t say it. She didn''t say the last bits of her words. The continuation.


    ''Because when you step up to that position, we would be most certainly done with all the missions, and I will return to the Space. A request or two should be awarded due to of your efforts so far.''


    These words were omitted, and Zenith ate up her words in excitement. Thinking that since this was the lady, she wouldn''t fool him. She wouldn''t go back on her words.


    Then, so be it.


    "I gratefully accept your generous offer, milady." Zenith said. In his mind, the image of him getting together with Xu Jiaqi in the future was already firmly imprinted. "From this day onwards, I promise to stay by your side. I shall protect you with my life."


    The man''s oath was put down.


    Ding!


    Along with it, the System''s notification sound rang, attracting Xu Jiaqi''s attention.


    [Side Quest: A Loyal Knight''s Unconditional Trust.]


    [Details: Zenith Ahgren has sworn his lifetime loyalty towards you. His unmeasurable faith and devotion is something that should be rewarded with the right gesture. The world needs to be purged of evil, and one of the steps to achieving that is to receive Zenith as the Varadan Empire''s new Ruler. He is motivated to fill the spot because of his lady, Ariel Maine, who promised him a wish after the completion of their plans. He is very expectant of it. As the good lady of honor, your end of the deal has to be completed before leaving this world. Whatever his request is, you mustn''t disregard it.


    Target: Make Zenith Ahgren the Emperor and fulfill his request.]


    It was the side quest.


    Xu Jiaqi heaved a sigh of relief. It wasn''t a romance quest, so she didn''t need to nurture this man''s favorability level like she did with the previous world. It was not that taxing when she thought about it now, but she still didn''t sit right with the involvement of romance.


    ''Hoo, I was about to scream at the Main System if it threw me a romance quest. System, applaud!'' Xu Jiaqi burst with joy.


    She kept Zenith relatively close not just because she wanted to use him, but also because he could be a potential love target, and it would be easier for her to complete the side mission if it popped up suddenly. She wouldn''t need to do more work.


    But since the worry was lifted, she felt liberated.


    As Xu Jiaqi rejoiced, the System was caught in a dilemma. He was a bit afraid to tell the happy Host of the truth.


    The reason why it wasn''t a romance quest.. Was because Zenith, this man, was already jumping into the pit of love all by himself without even realizing it. He still mostly denied it, trying to shrug it off as just the effect of having been around her for far too much. It was because in his mind, it was impossible for her to love him back, so he suppressed his feelings forcefully. But this led to an even bigger explosion of emotions!


    He was naive and didn''t know that what he was feeling was already beyond the realms of a normal love. Almost a deranged obsession even though he acted normally, nothing out of the ordinary.


    The System wondered if he should tell this fact to the Host, but decided to rescind the desire since he believed that it wouldn''t affect the Host too much.

 Chapter 89 - 2.50

    "So everything is in line now. I need to make Ezra the Cardinal, Zenith the Emperor, and finally finish my quests at last. It will be a perfect ending!" Xu Jiaqi was satisfied with herself as she began to celebrate, clasping her hands together as she grinned.


    [But how are you going to make Ezra the Cardinal, Host? You haven''t told me about it.] The System brought up the question with worry.


    "Using force? Everything will be done with force, we just won''t say that to the public. Let''s go, System. I will bring these two guys to create miracles all around the world. This way... who in their right minds would doubt us?" Xu Jiaqi giggled, donning on her Saintess attire and wielding her Sceptre.


    Humming a playful tone, Xu Jiaqi used her cheat skill, a teleportation spell to instantly meet the two men in her plans. She had notified them of this gathering a head of time, so she was sure that they would already be there right now.


    And indeed, as she snapped her fingers and instantly appeared in the designated location, the figures of two handsome men entered her eyes.


    "Zenith, Ezra, it''s time to go. Let us spread the name of the Goddess." Xu Jiaqi narrowed her eyes and smiled cheekily as she fell down to the ground safely. The two men hadn''t even recovered from their shock yet before Xu Jiaqi walked past them and gestured for them to follow her.


    This was their first time seeing someone use such a complex skill like a teleportation spell without a conspicuous magic circle or having to go through the unmentionables. Teleportation was a high tier spell that could only be done by someone who had an insanely high understanding of magic and had a huge amount of mana to support it.


    Even for someone of Xu Jiaqi''s caliber, they didn''t think that she would use this kind of spell just to travel.


    "Surprised? I made a few tweaks to the spell that we currently have. I can teleport the three of us without having to spare as much effort now. Our travels will be made so much easier!" Xu Jiaqi cheered.


    The two men tilted their head in confusion, wondering what Xu Jiaqi was talking about. Xu Jiaqi then began to spill her plans, and it made the other two simultaneously look at each other and sigh deeply. This woman was too brazen for her own good.


    Her plans sounded unreasonable, but deep inside,t hey know that if it was her, then it would be possible.


    The Goddess also wanted to join in, curious as to what the human she entrusted her power with would do.


    Thus, their travels started. Of course, they did not simply disappear just like that. They couldn''t, knowing their high status. They all left notes vaguely describing their departure, which would be set to appear on the Cardinal''s table when they were already in the cities.


    Xu Jiaqi travelled the whole world with Zenith and Ezra, making sure that their existence were fully known to everybody. To the point where it reached the Cardinal himself, and of course, the corrupted officials that supported the Cardinal.


    To be fair, the Cardinal wasn''t entirely a bad person, but he was someone that was easy to influence. He was not truthful in the sense that he was willing to allow the atrocities happen under his rule as long as it meant that he would be safe in his success. The fault wasn''t on him, but he indirectly caused it by letting these people loose without much consideration.


    He had to be replaced now that there was Ezra, who Xu Jiaqi could manipulate better.


    Soon, it was not a surprise that the common people all had a great opinion on these three people. Their names were etched into a lot of places, being guests of honor in literally every single settlement they had visited.


    From healing incurable diseases, purging evil, slaying monsters, solving conflicts and cases of corruption, the trio was then held up by the people as saviors.


    They all made sure to spread the name of Goddess Eula, proclaiming that their deeds were only made possible because the Goddess allowed it. It made the people''s faith, which had been diminishing ever since there were no clear evidence that the Church of Eula had impacted them in any sort of way.


    In fact, the Church only put them at a disadvantage as it was the customary thing to offer tributes to the Holy Land for their service. In return, they got nothing. Hence, when the trio came around to fix their problems directly instead of dodging the matter or telling them to pray to the Goddess for a miracle, their faith started to grow back up. Their fondness increased.


    Through this, the Goddess also reported her powers getting stronger. One''s divinity and authority could be influenced with the amount of people that are willing to attest to your existence and worship you outside of your true power. The Goddess was ecstatic at this development and told Xu Jiaqi to continue her path.


    It was as if the continent was being reformed bit by bit. One place at a time, the people''s minds were led by Xu Jiaqi to instill the thought that both Ezra and Zenith would be a great ruler. She made sure to show them their great qualities, whereas she would show her true Holy power. Dazzling and flashy, it surely made the people''s gazes twinkle with respect and wonder.


    The people''s lives were made better, and they all were extremely grateful to the three''s figures.


    When they returned to the Holy Land later on, things were not as pretty as when they first left. They hadn''t sent any sort of notice or letter after the first note announcing their departure. It went for over three years, nearing four whole years, so it was understandable that they angered a lot of people. Including the Cardinal, who was feeling cornered and threatened.


    The Cardinal was waiting for them, and so was a certain Crown Prince that fortified his desire to obtain Xu Jiaqi after seeing how much reputation she had in the people''s eyes.

 Chapter 90 - 2.51

    "..Welcome back, you three." The Cardinal spoke with a tense expression. "Did you have fun in your trip? What were you thinking, trying to escape from the Holy Land like that without discussing it with me first? Do you think that I am just a door mat, someone you can step over?!" He berated them.


    The Cardinal''s emotions had been piling up ever since he first heard about the several miraculous deeds that Xu Jiaqi had performed. The uncomfortable feeling that had been weighing out in his heart, formed from mountains of doubt and distrust, spurted into the anger that he was expressing right now.


    His breath became heavier as he glared at the three. He thought that he would have nothing to worry about with these three people. Ezra was Ezra, he had no desires apart from the Goddess'' desires. Ariel also seemed to be someone like Ezra! Faithful to the Goddess and shouldn''t need to covet his position. So why was this traitorous behavior showing out of nowhere?


    "The Goddess desired for us to go. Ezra and I received a revelation from her, so we went on this trip following her instructions. I don''t know why the Cardinal hasn''t received one yet.. We are able to converse with the Goddess, she told us about the condition of the people when we had a talk, and she also implored us to go out and help them. Naturally, I thought that the Cardinal would certainly not put us at fault since it''s the Goddess'' will.." Xu Jiaqi calmly explained.


    The correct solution is just to use the Goddess'' name all the time! Hide behind the impenetrable shield that is the Goddess and the grace that she had bestowed upon all of them, making it clear that they were favored and that they should be placed in a high pedestal! What would the Cardinal be able to do?


    "Y-you mean to say that.." The Cardinal was taken aback by the response. Forget talking to the Goddess, he rose to this spot because of the support that the higher ups had given to him. He had high Holy power, and his personality was manageable. This was why he was placed here! He had never received a single favor from the Goddess, he just had a high innate talent out of nowhere.


    "Fret not, my dear leader... The Goddess has also imparted us with another voice that I think you should hear. It is time for you to be relieved of your duties. Along with you, a reform will happen in the Empire as well. I was entrusted with the ultimate task of fulfilling her orders! I am very blissful and content with this."


    Xu Jiaqi showed a delirious expression as she announced the grave truth.


    "W-what is this nonsense! Quit joking around!" The Cardinal''s heart skipped a few beats as he tried to deceive himself that Xu Jiaqi was just fooling around. He was in complete denial.


    "Oh, I am not joking in the slightest. My Goddess is right here beside me. Right, Ezra?" Xu Jiaqi giggled. "Dear Cardinal, the Goddess has instructed us to gather in the main hall, and I have sent a prior invitation under her name to everybody."


    Although Ezra was still unable to clearly see the Goddess'' figure, after the amount of time that he had spent travelling the world, he became more adjusted to the Goddess'' energy and was now able to tell her position.


    Ezra nodded. The Goddess truly was hovering beside Xu Jiaqi. He felt like if he was able to hear her right now, the Goddess would be cheering for the brave human she chose that was about to thwart the Holy Land.


    The Cardinal gritted his teeth. "You dare do all of this without thinking about my opinion?!" He was pissed off through and through. The adrenaline that rushed through him because of his fear of losing his position was too much to handle, that he almost fainted.


    Without caring of his situation, Xu Jiaqi walked towards the main hall with the other two and the Goddess following her. Entering the main hall, almost everybody was already gathered there because of how special Xu Jiaqi''s invitation was. Xu Jiaqi made sure that each invitation was crafted using magic, and it would show up in front of each person like a status window of sorts.


    This kind of thing, it couldn''t be ignored easily.


    She stepped up to the podium. Although the Cardinal was unwilling, he also followed the group, screaming for them to stop and cease their actions. He was scared. Extremely scared. He rushed up with them.


    Xu Jiaqi was already preparing her speech. Within seconds, she began talking.


    "Good day to all of you, subjects of my Goddess. A decree has been given down. The Goddess wants to talk with us all! Let us rejoice." Xu Jiaqi coldly spoke. She relayed the same thing she said to the Cardinal.


    Within no time, the crowd was buzzing with mixed emotions, and some began to voice doubts. Which was of course, understandable.


    Xu Jiaqi then pretended to be talking with someone in the air, nodding with a serious expression before turning her head back to the crowd.


    "The Goddess has spoken once again. She asks for all of us to pray before the statue, as you will be allowed to hear her voice for a short moment. She is outraged by the fact that you lots are still not willing to believe me.. as her beloved servant. But that is of no matter, since she will prove right here and now.. let her voice be heard all around the world so that you will not have to banter uselessly after this."


    Those words made everyone in the room panic except for the few truthful people who truly served the Goddess not for the dark trades below the surface.


    "Oh dear Goddess, please use this humble servant to spread the words of your gospel and decree!" Xu Jiaqi exclaimed loudly as she fell down to her knees.

 Chapter 91 - 2.52

    A bright light shone, once again blinding the eyes of the people. Xu Jiaqi''s body floated upwards, and a faint outline of three pairs of wings appeared behind her back. A magical circle appeared in front of her right eye, and a circlet showed above her head.


    This was the plan that Xu Jiaqi had suggested to the Goddess- to act in a play. Because the Goddess had been getting stronger, Xu Jiaqi was curious early on and asked if she could possess a human body. The Goddess replied with a positive answer, just that she couldn''t do it for a long time, and it would be too obvious.


    But an obvious show was exactly what Xu Jiaqi aimed for! From the start of their long travels, she placed her magic circles all around the world in inconspicuous sections and put protective barriers around it to make sure that no one would be able to notice it before the final plan went on.


    She then planned the script with the Goddess, making sure that they would be able to take down the Holy Land and the Empire in one full sweep. It was a plan that would essentially require the culmination of all four of them.


    There were many magical circles that she left in each location she had visited in the world. What did this mean? Xu Jiaqi would be able to leave projections and channel her voice, broadcasting it to the entire world like a live TV channel. Zenith was a key part in this. He was the energy battery for Xu Jiaqi''s showcase. The power generator.


    In truth, even with all the blessings that the Goddess had bestowed upon her, it was still not enough to handle the activation of all the magic circles around the world. Her energy regeneration was extremely high, but it wouldn''t be enough to catch up with the consumption she had to make.


    However, there was one human that somehow exceeded her in terms of energy regeneration.


    Zenith Ahgren, this monstrous human who was clueless of his own powers up until Xu Jiaqi personally told him.


    Xu Jiaqi had to link up a part of herself with the man, so that it would be possible for his energy to be transferred to her every time it began to deplete when she flew in the air. Thus, Zenith had to be informed of the process. He was in complete disbelief as Xu Jiaqi relayed the information to him, but he readily agreed to the offer right away.


    Ezra was in charge of maintaining the power balance. Since there was a high trade of power between Xu Jiaqi, the Goddess, and Zenith, the environment was affected heavily, and there was a high chance of everything collapsing if one move went wrong.


    To prevent this, Ezra had to be the resistor for the three forces. He had to meticulously calculate the amount of power being exchanged, and insert the correct amount into the environment to sustain it from breaking apart. Xu Jiaqi already had an idea on what she was going to do right from the start, so right after they made their first magic circle, she taught him about his duties and what he was going to manage in the actual event.


    Everything was set up. Xu Jiaqi took a deep breath in as she felt the Goddess'' presence fully assimilate within her. The intrusion of the deity was quite painful, but Xu Jiaqi, knowing it was necessary, held back her exhaustion.


    "Humans! Listen up. I am this land''s Heavenly Ruler, Eula. I am far too tired of the countless faults and lies that you have fed to each other! I have been waiting for a change, so I let all of you be. I gave small warnings in form of disasters, but none of you heeded it and continued enjoying success on top of suffering. I can no longer allow this world to run rampant like this. I am speaking to you from the mouth of my servant, Ariel Maine. She is the Saintess that I have entrusted with the task of searching for two humans. Two humans that will take charge of this world''s affairs from now on."


    "One for the Holy Land, and one for the Empire. I shall relinquish them from their position as they had failed to fulfill their duties correctly! Nothing can be falsified in front of me. You humans who stand on top of other lives'' sufferings just to please yourselves, you shall be purged out and destroyed!"


    "From today onwards, I declare the Holy Land''s Ruler to be the human you call Ezra Lancaster, and the Varadan Empire''s Ruler to be Zenith Ahgren. My servant shall be the one to deliver the titles to them, blessing them in my stead. Only then will the world prosper once more, just like the way I envisioned when I first governed this place!"


    The people, hearing this, had mixed reactions at first. It was all too sudden. They knew who these three figures were. They were the ones who helped them, bringing the name of the Goddess everywhere. Some were overjoyed, saying that the Goddess finally stepped in and that their lives were about to change.


    However, a lot were enraged, as it would mean that the social structure and authority of the current period would have to fall down. Their first reaction was to try and stop this insane act. Convince the people that the Rulers shouldn''t be changed, and that they were already balanced right now.


    But Xu Jiaqi did not want to leave them this kind of chance.


    Another terrifying act that she had the System perform was store all the information that it gathered. All the demonic acts performed by the humans. One by one, the royalties, the nobles, the Holy Land''s hierarchy, none of them were left intact. Everything was exposed.


    As if it was the day of judgement, and none of their sins would be able to escape the eyes of the Goddess.


    The Goddess'' effects made Xu Jiaqi''s voice turn somewhat mechanical. Robotic.


    Like she was an emotionless Angel of Judgement who finally descended down to deal with the roaming evil.

 Chapter 92 - 2.53

    As she read the crimes and presented the evidences, the faces of the people listening to the show turned ugly and horrid. Most of the things Xu Jiaqi revealed were deeds that went unpunished and got buried with a simple play of power. But now that it was revealed to the entire population, even the highest ranks couldn''t avoid getting out of this predicament without losing something.


    Shouts telling the woman to stop were sounded out everywhere. The world was bursting with wailing screams of those who were involved.


    But why did Xu Jiaqi have to show them mercy? They brought this upon themselves. They did it, so they should be prepared to be held accountable. When these people were told to stop by their victims, did they do it? Did they relent on their actions?


    No.


    Xu Jiaqi ended up bedridden for almost a week after everything ended. She lived in seclusion, guarded by Ezra and Zenith as she recuperated.


    This was later described as the holiest event, instilling faith inside the people further for the following generations. It was titled the ''Judgement Day''. The day a Saintess was possessed by the Goddess and passed on news dictating the unholy deeds that people had done.


    The flow of things did go to Xu Jiaqi''s expectations. The people started rumbling, especially the ones that had set their minds to desiring a new leader before Xu Jiaqi even launched this plan. Those who were dissatisfied with the people in charge. These people bound up together and questioned the Rulers who were pointed out by the Goddess.


    They put pressure against the people in question. Of course, the swap of Rulers didn''t happen instantly. There was a lot of conversations slipped between it. Most of it consisted of soft threats hidden below simple words, but who was Xu Jiaqi?


    The one described as crazy, insane, ridiculous. A lunatic Saintess.


    The people believed in her because she had helped them. It was easy to make a good first impression, but hard to erase a past misdeed that you have committed. After the crimes were revealed, the people didn''t intend to have the slightest bits of trust towards the ones ruling them.


    They wanted to improve their conditions as much as possible, and having the two Rulers pointed out by the Goddess on the thrones would benefit them. It was simple psychology. Everyone wanted the best for themselves, and they also liked to see the arrogant higher ups suffer.


    Xu Jiaqi had to work her ass off even after this movement began to roll. In order for the world to not collapse, she had to prepare the people who would replace the current ones right away. She rooted out the higher classes first, taking on the hardest powers and replacing them with her people immediately.


    These people were the ones Xu Jiaqi had marked down along the way in her travels. The people who made an impression towards her, was trusted by the people, and was willing to swear an oath to her. Although Xu Jiaqi would goof around a lot, and seemed like a laidback person, you wouldn''t be able to catch her slipping.


    Inside her head. It was all done inside her head. When you took a step forward, Xu Jiaqi would have already took ten steps forward. None of her moves were not calculated. The people that she had marked were called to their respective territory, and with Xu Jiaqi''s influence and her powers, she changed the seat owner for those who were truly corrupted first.


    Those who did not commit crimes were little in number, but there were indeed some righteous powers that Xu Jiaqi didn''t touch. In fact, she built a good cooperation with them on the basis that whatever Xu Jiaqi was doing would only benefit the lands.


    They weren''t blind. They knew that the crimes couldn''t be let go, and that this momentum was the perfect one to eject all of these dirty folks.


    Thus, trust was soon built, and they became Xu Jiaqi''s pseudo allies. They let Xu Jiaqi''s ''judgement'' pass through without obstructing them, trusting that the Saintess wouldn''t let the empire fall.


    The Crown Prince and the Cardinal ended up binding together to form an opposition to Xu Jiaqi''s moves, but it was very hard to counter her when the people''s beliefs in her were that high. Thus, their opposition didn''t have that much strength. Xu Jiaqi was able to suppress them from making any moves that were too big. However, the Crown Prince didn''t seem to have the intention to give up. The Empire wasn''t hers yet, so there was a chance that he could retaliate.


    It just wasn''t the time for her to make the first move.


    Xu Jiaqi never killed those she had caught, but she did condemn them and persecute them under the name of the Goddess. She would either banish or imprison the criminals rather than executing them. This was to keep her clean image, because the people''s opinion on the Goddess was that she was merciful and wouldn''t condone the massacre.


    With all this said, there was only one variable left that made Xu Jiaqi be confused. One that went out of her calculations.


    Zenith Ahgren, her knight. At first, she picked him up because he was useful to her. He was capable, and his battery-like characteristics made her very happy. He was also akin to a loyal dog. Xu Jiaqi had no qualms in keeping him by her side.


    But in the fateful event, Xu Jiaqi actually didn''t plan for the show to go on that long. She thought that Zenith''s supply would also have a limit and that she would ran out of power. Thus, the original plan was much more concise than the outcome. She was able to dish out several minutes of the moving speech with Zenith''s assistance.


    How was this possible for a human?


    When Xu Jiaqi asked the Goddess about Zenith''s apparent high energy stock that seemed to never be running out even when Xu Jiaqi stole a high amount of energy from him, the deity was actually baffled herself. She couldn''t explain Zenith''s phenomenon right away and promised to look into it later on. However, even as they travelled, she still couldn''t manage to figure out how an existence like Zenith came to life.


    "Zenith defies the laws of the world. He doesn''t have the slightest bit of magic control, but the energy is stored inside of him with no restraints whatsoever. His core has also not been trained except for his exemplary swordsmanship that did help his case. Even so, the aura he got from his swordsmanship is nowhere near enough to suppressing this high level of energy." The Goddess spoke, biting her thumbnail as she looked over Zenith''s information with her skill.


    The [Eye of Providence]. It was a skill that only deities could use as controllers and overseers of a certain world. It allowed them to learn about everything going on inside the realm. However, when the Goddess looked at Zenith, she was met with something disturbing.


    All of Zenith''s information, including his name, race, age- everything. It was written in messy, cryptic letters jumbled up to fill the blanks. Abnormal signs were scattered everywhere, and the values that should''ve been there couldn''t be dug up even with the powers of a Goddess.


    There was only one reason that she could think up of on why this kind of thing was happening.


    Zenith Ahgren was a transmigrator... No, not just a simple transmigrator, but someone much more scary and powerful.

 Chapter 93 - 2.54

    It was uncanny. For a being like Zenith Ahgren to suddenly fall down on her path. Xu Jiaqi had the System run checks over this man multiple times, but he still couldn''t find out about anything. Not even one anomaly was present, when Zenith as a denizen of this world was literally impossible to have been generated out of nature.


    Goddess Eula told her that to each denizen, there would be something akin to a limiter. A ''normalized'' line that would set the limit and balance for the people dwelling inside the world so that nothing would fall uncontrollable. Xu Jiaqi was someone who escaped this line because her soul was fortified by the System and was allowed entry into the world through possession.


    But Zenith was a denizen of the world through and through. At least, that was what it appeared to be. What was it? What secret did Zenith hold? Why could he escape the eyes of the Goddess and the System?


    Xu Jiaqi had her eyes constantly on the man ever since this matter was brought up. Somehow, she had her own feeling. An intuition stemming from her natural instincts. That Zenith was someone she knew, but at the same time, she didn''t know about.


    In fact, Xu Jiaqi didn''t know much about herself either. The dream sequences, her strange background and memories, she was already convinced that everything was much deeper than she thought. All this time, she had only been scraping the surface, whereas the truth was hidden several levels under.


    Zenith Ahgren should be the same. Someone who.. lost something. Like her. Someone who is missing a part of themselves.


    But this matter wasn''t Xu Jiaqi''s priority. Although she was curious, her ultimate goal was still to clear the missions. She took the achievements as a form of joy. Zenith was someone who helped her tremendously. If he was an obstacle in her path, then Xu Jiaqi would remove him no matter what.


    But for now, the man was completely obedient to her.


    Xu Jiaqi called the man to her room. She sat down on her bed, and inched her feet forward for the man to remove her shoes. Xu Jiaqi''s eyes fell onto the man. Zenith had gotten a lot stronger from when he first met her. He had also gotten older, and a mature charm surrounded him as he gently took her shoes off.


    The man seemed to have no shame in doing this kind of thing even if it would be viewed as humiliating to some. It began from a simple joke, when Xu Jiaqi randomly teased him to see how he would react. She never thought that the man would actually continuously do it for years, treating it like some honorable act.


    "Zen." Xu Jiaqi called with a light tone.


    The Knight raised his head up, his gaze lining up with Xu Jiaqi''s. "Yes, Lady." he answered.


    "Do you still remember about the question I asked you a long time ago?" Xu Jiaqi tilted her head as she gestured for Zenith to stand up. She too rose from her bed and moved closer, towards the man, eliminating the distance between them.


    "...Yes, my lady." Zenith replied, a bit nervous. Over the course of all these years, Zenith had managed to somewhat control himself in front of the lady, but it was still hard when she made unexpected approaches like this.


    He had always been wondering. What did he have with the lady? What did she think about him?


    Was it just a simple relationship between a lady and her Knight? Zenith no longer desired such a shallow bond. He wanted more. After he realized the extent of his obsession towards the lady..


    Just staying beside her didn''t suffice anymore. A desire to protect her. Love every single fiber of her being.


    The lady did make advances towards him from time to time, but he always perceived it as teasing. It was because there was always a cold barrier that seemed to separate them every time Zenith faced her.


    As if the wall was telling him that them getting together would be impossible.


    Zenith wanted to oppose this. He wanted to.. thoroughly be with the lady.


    But he was always blocked off by his own set of emotions, telling him that he should back off right now. That if he kept indulging in this ambiguous position, he would become addicted to it, and his condition would worsen.


    That one day, he would come to hurt the lady because of his own selfish desires. He would no longer be able to hold back, and would continuously desire more and more. His satisfaction would never be filled up.


    He was hungry. Starved for the everything the lady was willing to give him.


    The question that Xu Jiaqi asked when she first met Zenith and formed a cooperation with him.


    If Xu Jiaqi made the world burn, would Zenith stop and oppose her, or would he pour gasoline over the lands and assist her?


    Now, the answer to that question was clear. Zenith was able to answer that question without batting an eye.


    It was so simple to him.


    Where Xu Jiaqi was would be where he stood. If she desired to see the world burn, then he would gladly be the one to set the first fire. He would spread disasters, if she wished for him to do so. He would slaughter innocent citizens and commit atrocities like the ones they were trying to battle right now if it was for her.


    The sense of morals was no longer intact in Zenith''s mind. Xu Jiaqi was like poison to him, but the feeling was so enthralling that he was not willing to part with her charms.


    "What is your answer to my question? I think I have waited long enough for you to come up with an answer." Xu Jiaqi leaned her head against Zenith''s chest.


    She heard Zenith''s heart thump loudly in a fast pace. His breath was disorganized, and his position was awkward.


    "Will you disappoint me?" Xu Jiaqi smiled like a captivating demoness.

 Chapter 94 - 2.55 [M]

    A moment of silence ensued. The atmosphere between them was very tense, but not in a bad way.


    "I... Your desires are my orders, Lady." Zenith gulped his saliva down, feeling a lump forming in his throat and making it hard to breathe. The lady''s gentle scent attacked his nose. The subtle, pleasing aroma was always present throughout their journey, so he was extremely familiar with it.


    Zenith enjoyed the closeness between them. He was ecstatic that the lady was willing to do such things, but he was also hesitant to make approaches. He was afraid that if the lady rejected him, his emotional balance would crumble and he would go insane.


    The worst would happen. He knew that he could no longer bear living on without this woman in front of him. He had stayed beside her and watched as she bloomed into the graceful flower that she was right now. With the blessings of the Goddess, no one on this planet could beat her appearance.


    But what made Zenith so addicted to her wasn''t her looks. It was as if he was attracted to her soul. A spiritual connection that he wasn''t able to explain. A spark created inside his heart, lighting up a fire that made him want to obtain her.


    "Good answer." Xu Jiaqi praised the man. "You have made up your mind, haven''t you... my Knight?"


    Zenith only made a small nod in response. He put all of his focus into keeping his sanity intact.


    "...Zen." Xu Jiaqi let her hands roam over Zenith''s body. Tangling his hands with hers. Feeling up his robust body, and leading him to do similarly to her. "Try calling me by my name."


    "Ariel...?"


    "..That doesn''t seem quite right." Xu Jiaqi chuckled, a slight frown formed on her face as she heard her ''name'' be called. She was Xu Jiaqi.


    "Mmm... When we are alone, call me Qiqi." Xu Jiaqi inched upwards to give Zenith a small peck on his neck. Zenith was extremely tall. He was a head taller than Ariel Maine''s body, so Xu Jiaqi had to pull him down slightly just so she could reach him.


    Zenith was obviously unfamiliar with this new name that the lady introduced. Its pronunciation sounded completely foreign, and it was a bit hard to understand. But somehow, Zenith was able to capture the name perfectly and say it out loud. The name slid off Zenith''s tongue like smooth honey.


    Even more than Ariel, which was supposed to be her name. The name ''Qiqi'' just sounded much more fitting.


    "Zen.. do you want me?" Xu Jiaqi tilted her head.


    Zenith''s eyes were dazed. His whole body felt like it was being set aflame even though the night temperature was cold. He didn''t answer, but sealed her lips with a gentle kiss instead.


    "Make me yours, then. Make my thoughts be filled with no one else but you.. Make it so that this world revolves around the two of us. Zen, it''s all dependent on you." Xu Jiaqi pulled him down into a thorough, deep kiss. Squeezing his body tightly, expressing her chaotic mental state through her actions.


    Zenith''s limit was broken.


    "Qiqi.." His breathing was hot and heavy. He embraced her, letting her fall down to the bed before continuing their passionate exchanges. "Qiqi, Qiqi." He called her name repeatedly as he began to ravage the woman below him.


    Her clothes became loose and disheveled after the rough movements they made. Her exposed pale skin made him want to taint it. The flower that he thought was unreachable this whole time would be sullied by him.


    The thought made him fearful, but it also stimulated him.


    It was hot and filthy. Both of them relied on their instincts to get by. Desiring more and more of each other. The intoxicating atmosphere and intense rhythm made it hard for them to think straight. Their minds no longer worked as intended, and only their feelings kept them going.


    "Qiqi, I.." Zenith groaned as he pulled Xu Jiaqi to sit on top of his lap, admiring her literal presence as she smiled, tightening her hold on Zenith. She sucked and bit down on his neck, not wanting to let him get scot free when she was reduced to a pitiful state.


    Zenith was aroused by every single action the lady made. He began to pick up his pace, throwing  every single bit of his shyness out of the window. He let the lady control the flow of things, making sure that she wouldn''t be harmed or feel discomforted. She was his priority.


    Xu Jiaqi smirked as she felt the urge to destroy every form of defense Zenith held against himself. The triggers that prevented him from going ballistic and channeling his animalistic senses.


    She wanted him to be unraveled in front of her through and through.


    Xu Jiaqi lined up her loosened hole and sat down on his member, moaning out in pain and pleasure as she squirmed to get used to the intruder''s size. She gradually lowered her body, fully taking him in before latching her arms around his neck and prompting her body to a comfortable position as she faced Zenith with a challenging expression.


    Inviting him to paint her with his colors all night long.


    _____


    When she woke up, her entire body was sore. Love bites were scattered all throughout her skin. This wasn''t her first time doing it, but Zenith''s stamina was much higher than Qin Zicheng. The man was a Knight who trained his body to the pinnacle, whereas Ariel Maine''s body was frail despite having been blessed.


    Her eyes struggled to stay open. She was cradled in the arms of her Knight, their tired bodies attached and creating an indescribable warmth. Xu Jiaqi didn''t know what propelled her to suddenly roll in the sheets with the man.


    There was just something pushing her to do it. It was strange, as if her body had a second entity that wasn''t herself. She was fond of Zenith, but she didn''t think it was love. It was more like a sense of admiration and confusion.


    Regarding her situation.. And the reason for why Zenith made her feel iffy. She wanted to find out more, and what better way was there then entangling with the man in question?

 Chapter 95 - 2.56

    "Qiqi, good morning." Zenith''s voice was rough and raspy, since they had been going at it for several hours before their bodies caved in for rest. He had an anxious smile plastered on his face.


    ''You have gotten used to calling that name, hm? You called my name so much last night.. It''s a good thing that there are no one that could intrude on us in my quarters. Make sure to not slip up in front of others later on, remember?" Xu Jiaqi let out a gentle sigh as she rubbed Zenith''s face, squishing his cheeks with a tender gaze.


    "...Zen, who are you?" Xu Jiaqi asked.


    Zenith looked confused. It was obvious. He had no idea what she was talking about because he wasn''t aware of himself yet. He was incomplete. Just like her.


    It was a hypothesis that stemmed from her own set of experiences. She knew that something was wrong with her state. That she needed to retrieve something, from somewhere that she was not able to enter right now. It made her feel frustrated.


    There was not a feeling that was as haunting as when Xu Jiaqi felt like there was a massive hole in her mind, body, and soul. She felt like she didn''t belong to her alone.


    But after Xu Jiaqi joined bodies with Zenith for the entire night, she could confirm at least one thing. This being called Zenith Ahgren was able to fill the incompleteness that resided inside her heart just by a slight amount. She felt content.


    That was enough for her to desire the man to stay by her side. She wanted him to stay out of her own volition. Zenith made her feel good, both physically and spiritually. There was no reason for her to release the man out of her grip. She felt like if there was a romance quest that popped up, involving Zenith, she wouldn''t be as angry.


    Her mind was jumbled up, perhaps partly because of their aggressive bed exercises. Zenith started off gentle, and made Xu Jiaqi lower her guard, but as they further descended into the night and became consumed by lust, Zenith morphed into a beast. Her body was in pain although her powers began to soothe the soreness right away. She wasn''t used to strenuous exercises.


    With Ariel''s physique, it was all thanks to the blessing that she managed to survive the long night.


    However, the man was still mindful of her condition and knew when to stop. It wasn''t like Xu Jiaqi didn''t enjoy the rally, so she just took small sessions of recovery in between before continuing until her body  finally gave out.


    A night full of passion was initiated between them out of nowhere. None of them expected for it to happen, they just let themselves slowly ride the mood out, exploring each other sensually.


    Zenith was still unresolved. This act of theirs only made him question their bond even more. "Qiqi, I love you." He abruptly confessed out of nowhere.


    Getting the words out of his heart was extremely hard. But after he said it, he felt relieved, as if a heavy burden had finally been removed from his chest.


    He wanted to confirm their state. He wanted to make sure that he wasn''t misunderstanding. The woman in front of him gave herself to her. Only, he didn''t know if she truly belonged to him. She was a free spirit, undeniably. Her actions and choices proved that multiple times.


    She was an otherworldly person. Zenith had never met someone who could even come close to her.


    To him, she was her perfect match. But what about Xu Jiaqi? What did she think?


    Instead of answering, Xu Jiaqi laughed out loud. She started with small giggles, then descended into a neverending burst of laughter.


    "Zen.. You are cute. How.. amusingly cute." Xu Jiaqi patted his head, a pleasant smile fixed on her face. "I don''t know a thing called love. I don''t think that I will ever love someone.. In this life, or in my future lifetimes, too. After all.. If I can''t even be satisfied with myself, if I can''t be content with my own state, how could I learn to love others? I''m not someone who is suited to do such a thing. I am not worthy of loving.. just like nobody is worthy of being loved by me. Not even the greatest being."


    The words flowed out of her mouth. It was a combination of her own values, and the vague ideals that existed inside her mind. The ideals that.. came from the abyss that made her feel incomplete.


    She was confused with herself. She didn''t have time to offer her heart to somebody else.


    Zenith looked visibly disappointed. A trace of madness flashed through his eyes as he looked at Xu Jiaqi. "Qiqi, is it really impossible...?"


    "Hold on. I didn''t say that I won''t be together with you. Although I can''t love you like another person would, I am fond of you. I don''t mind spending a lifetime with you. My principles are very different from others. You should''ve known this right from the start. I am not going to ask you to.. understand my perspective. More like, it would be miles better if you just stopped loving me. It would be much more.. tolerable for both you and me." Xu Jiaqi ran her fingers through the man''s hair.


    The touch was soothing and calming to Zenith, whose emotions started to stabilize and recede. "I love you, Qiqi." Zenith kept repeating the phrase. Spouting words of love towards the woman.


    It made Xu Jiaqi quite troubled, but the man was just like that.


    He was willing to jump into hell just for the woman, why wouldn''t he be able to cope with Xu Jiaqi''s condition? At the very least, he would make sure that he was the closest person to her.


    He would be satisfied with just that. He didn''t hope for much.. He knew that the odds were against him in the first place, so getting this kind of outcome was already a satisfactory ending for him.

 Chapter 96 - 2.57

    "I got it, I got it. Stop there. If I hear you saying ''I love you'' one more time, my ears are going to fall off." Xu Jiaqi huffed, pushing the man away and sitting upright. She focused on regenerating her vitality and energy on top of everything else. Closing her eyes, she spent a minute to gather her inner energy up.


    Being powerful was very convenient. The aching was alleviated severely, and there was only a small amount of strain left.


    Zenith followed her, sitting right next to the woman and looking at her apologetically. It was him that caused such a thing. His gleaming eyes made him look like a sad puppy.


    "...Don''t look at me like that! It''s all fine, you don''t need to feel bad. I knew what I was doing. If I wanted you to stop, you wouldn''t have been able to move a single inch. I was the one who let it happen, I wanted you." Xu Jiaqi moved her face closer to him pinched the tip of his long nose. "Do you understand now?"


    "...Let me massage you, I heard that after doing.. that, it''s good if you get massaged in certain places. It''ll help your muscles relax more too.." Zenith said in embarrassment. He was still not used to treating Xu Jiaqi as his equal.


    To him, she was still the untouchable flower that he envisioned her to be. Of course, the real truth was that Xu Jiaqi was nothing but friendly to him. There was still the wall that he felt ever since he first met her, but it didn''t matter to her. Xu Jiaqi saying that she was willing to spend the rest of her life with him brought inexplicable joy to him.


    "Oh? Where did you learn such things? You are very knowledgeable, I see~ Is my Zen experienced in this sort of thing? It was my first time, you know?" Xu Jiaqi chuckled lowly, her teasing instincts starting to rise back up again.


    "No, no, no! It- it was my first time.. as well. I just learned it because.. I had, uh, fantasies about you.. Lady Ariel." Zenith admitted. He wanted to be nothing but truthful to her.


    "Ahah! You are very honest. It''s a great trait. Fantasies, hmm? What kind of fantasies exactly was it? Did you picture me under you? Begging you to go faster? Screaming your name until my throat is sore, digging my nails into your back as you did whatever you desired? What did you want me to do?"


    "That''s- it was nothing like that.. I just wanted to make sure that you are cared to the max, so I thought about every possible situation that might occur in the future! I didn''t mean anything bad.."


    "Of course I know that. My Zen couldn''t possibly think up of ways to hurt me, right?" Xu Jiaqi pulled him into a hug before getting off the bed. "It''s already afternoon. Shall we pay a visit to our comrades? We can''t afford to lose a single day. If our plans get dragged out for too long, then the momentum will disappear. The Crown Prince is also doing his absolute best to restrain the people''s movements, trying to get them back on his side.. There are also a lot of people who stand by his side simply because he is of a noble birth. Even though that doesn''t necessarily mean anything." Xu Jiaqi narrowed her eyes as she looked towards the sights beyond her window.


    Soon, Palla will be under her control. She had laid down her plans very carefully. All that was left is for Ezra to make the final push, and for her to bless his coronation so that no one will be able to defy the decree. Since this was the church of Goddess Eula, who would dare oppose her decision if she wanted Ezra to sit on the Cardinal''s position?


    The Holy Land was a very valuable and essential part for the continent. The continent was divided into these two major sections. They coexisted for far too long, and constantly had a strenuous relationship with each other.


    It was just time. With time, a war would break out if the situation wasn''t changed. There were too many corrupt officials on both sides. It would only take one mistake to achieve a domino effect and threaten the rest of the social structures as well. A war.


    Without having to look far, Xu Jiaqi knew that both sides were actually always ready in case the war truly did happen. They had preparations. The common people did not know the intricate details of their relations, but they surely must have known parts of it.


    The change was necessary, even if Xu Jiaqi didn''t want to do the conquest.


    With a tired sigh, she held her head up high. One last push. One last push and she would be the victor.


    She was born to be the victor. She was created to stand on top of others. There was no one who was suitable to be her equal. No one could match up to her.


    With her existence, she wouldn''t let the disaster happen. She just needed time. More time to push her faction to glory. It will soon unfold.


    Xu Jiaqi grinned in delight as she turned back and saw Zenith holding a satin robe. He circled her body and draped the article of clothing around her, afraid that she would get cold. He was already in his pants, while his upper body was exposed.


    "Now, Zen, shall we play the last game? Whether this world would plunge into hellfire.. Or perhaps receive eternal grace, it all depends on us. The agents of change." Xu Jiaqi leaned her body against Zenith, feeling his energy make their ways inside her like always.


    "...It will all go according to your wishes." Zenith kneeled down, taking Xu Jiaqi''s slender hand and kissing it softly. He couldn''t bear living without his lady. He was set to follow her to the ends of the world.


    A Queen and her Knight.. There was no King.

 Chapter 97 - 2.58

    Just as Xu Jiaqi said, everything was going well. They just needed the time to make the adjustments. Within a month, Xu Jiaqi and the crew was able to topple down the hierarchy of Palla using the Goddess'' assistance. As the faith grew back within people''s hearts, Goddess Eula was able to regain her strength.


    Ezra Lancaster was now seated on the Cardinal''s spot. His face didn''t have the best expression, as he was actually discomforted by the idea of having to deal with the pretentious position. The thing he was most afraid of was losing his touch with the Holy power. He was afraid that if he didn''t devote himself far enough, then he would be lacking, not being able to see the Goddess anymore.


    However, in actuality, after he got into the position, he was praised daily by the people who trusted and believed in him. These sentiments gathered up into a form of Holy power as well. It was similar with the Goddess'' way of garnering power. The people''s faith combined into a powerful strength that was taken in by him. He rapidly grew stronger, to the point where he was finally able to see the Goddess without having to pray at his altar anymore.


    When he first caught the sight of the Goddess with bare eyes, tears started to stream down his cheeks, and he was baffled. No words could come out of his mouth. It took him a long time to snap out of his daze.


    The next point was obviously, Zenith''s ascension. This matter was much harder, as the Varadan Empire''s Quinnard lineage had actually been going on for more than fifteen generations. Even though they weren''t the best people, they were the ones who founded the Empire, and housed the citizens for that long. In fact, up until the previous several generations, the Quinnards actually had an esteemed reputation, trusted by the people. They were decent rulers.


    Obviously, with Xu Jiaqi''s hand in the matter, she was sure that they would eventually fall down. The best thing about gaining Palla was that the Crown Prince was no longer able to try and obtain the assistance of the Holy Land, because it was all under their control and they had the authority to finally do whatever they wanted.


    It was a joy to see the Prince''s annoyed expression as he left after knowing that Ezra was finally coronated and there was no longer a chance for him.


    What did this entail, and how did it matter to them, you say?


    Well, the Crown Prince wasn''t the only prince in the Empire. It wasn''t a surprise. The Emperor had quite the loose sex life, as he currently had three wives and seven concubines, not counting the amount of mistresses and flings he kept as spares. Although most of them were mainly for political benefits, the man did bed all of them, and there were a lot of offspring scattering about as a result of it.


    However, the palace battle was tough and risky. Each royal child had to fend for themselves, and whoever stood on top of the others would be the winner. Prince Caelum was the son of the First Wife, so his Crown Prince title actually mainly came about from that fact alone.


    In the original story, the Prince was strong, the female lead was strong, and they shared a cooperation that brought them up the staircase of success. If the Holy Land''s assistance was taken away, then Prince Caelum''s influence was actually cut down by a whole lot.


    It mean that the Prince still had to fight for his position now. It won''t be handed to him so easily.


    So, what if Xu Jiaqi played tricks, and made the royal family fall down by itself from an outsider''s perspective? Sowing the seeds of chaos, making them fight against each other.


    Spreading rumors that might or might not be true, but certainly made each player in the game worried to death.


    Xu Jiaqi sat down with her allies as she crossed her legs and whispered the most poisonous plans ever, making the others jerk away instinctively. Xu Jiaqi was someone you never wanted to be your enemy. Even the Goddess was disturbed with how easily the woman could twist truth and make plausible schemes to stir up trouble.


    Days turned into months. Without noticing, the season changed four times, and a whole year had passed.


    During the time, Xu Jiaqi mainly focused on strengthening her base on Palla since there was time for her to relax while still keeping a good amount of pressure on the royal family.


    Indeed, in the original, it was the plot armor that was too strong. With just some wicked pushes, Xu Jiaqi was able to incite confusion and rage within the numerous people inside the palace. She pitted the wives and concubines with each other, the princes and princesses, and the officers and nobles.


    She singlehandedly created an internal strife inside the Empire. A small fire was frightening if left alone. The Empire was crowded, so the small fire quickly grew into a much larger disaster. One that they never expected.


    Xu Jiaqi jeered as she watched from a far distance. She had visited the Empire for some official matters as the Saintess, but she had caught the sight of two princesses grabbing each other by hair, shouting madly at each other. Foul words came out of their mouths.


    One of the two princesses was Princess Glazelle, to add to the matter.


    Xu Jiaqi had to restrain her laughter until her stomach and face hurt badly. Behind her, her knight Zenith looked towards the same way as her gaze and sighed.


    His lady loved making trouble and watching it unfold. What could he do against this?


    He was a silly man, someone who would join her to watch the chaos and add fuel to the fire.


    The Empire had a countdown set on its livelihood. The Emperor has caught the news of the countless fights happening recently, so he was also severely troubled by the incidents.


    "Let''s see how long they will last, Zen." Xu Jiaqi turned her head, heading to leave the palace as her job was already done.


    Surely, not long.

 Chapter 98 - 2.59

    In total, the fight for attaining the control lasted three years. This included the time needed to remove all the obstacles for Zenith''s ascension. It was a tough ride, having to tear down the foundation of the Empire down in order for there to be a leeway for them to take it. They didn''t want to resort to war, because that would create unnecessary sacrifices and tragedies.


    With the full support of the Holy Land, the new Emperor Zenith Ahgren was crowned after the downfall of the previous Imperial family. The Empire''s citizens rejoiced, as this man was someone who was elected by the Goddess herself, just like the Holy Land''s Cardinal.


    It was a well known thing that their current Emperor was once a commoner. He had climbed up into becoming the current Saintess'' personal Knight. During his time under the Saintess, he had shown exemplary tendencies and care for the people. Thus, when he rose into his position, there were close to no oppositions. Most were supportive and even celebrated out of their own volition.


    Xu Jiaqi and Zenith just came back from one of the major celebrations. They occupied the palace now. The people inside the building were all from their faction. Weeding out the pests took them quite the fair share of time, but since Xu Jiaqi had her System, it wasn''t hard to locate the people trying to harm them. The hard thing was disposing of them and collecting the evidence for it.


    Almost a decade had passed since Xu Jiaqi and Zenith first met. They entered a private room. Just like always, Xu Jiaqi sat down on the bed, while the ''Emperor'' started lowering his body down and taking off her shoes. Nothing had changed between them. The Emperor was still like the loyal Knight he was.


    "...Look where you are now. When we first met, did I not tell you that you won''t suffer when you follow me?Here is your reward, my Knight... or should I say, Emperor? That has a nice ring to it. Emperor Zenith." Xu Jiaqi giggled as she played with Zenith''s crown. She took it off, feeling the weight of the ornament and set it aside.


    "The only reward that I long for.. Is to be with you, Qiqi. I don''t need all of this status. It''s useless if you''re not here." Zenith proclaimed with a resolute gaze.


    Sighing, Xu Jiaqi looked at the man with complicated eyes. Not long after, she was going to leave.


    What will happen if that time comes? How will Zenith fare with losing her? Obviously, not well.


    In truth, there was nothing that prevented her from living in this world until she dies of old age. Her System permitted her to stay as long as she liked. If she didn''t get killed or her life force didn''t dissipate, it was possible to accompany the man until death separated them.


    But the main problem that Xu Jiaqi was facing wasn''t that. She felt like.. a reluctant feeling was actually forming inside her heart. Reluctance to part with the man. Reluctance when she imagined the man''s devastated condition after she left.


    Was it a good thing, or a bad thing? She was slowly learning to discover her emotions. How to act towards it. Genuine emotions, not the ones she acted for. She was experiencing these different sets of events, and it gave her knowledge.


    Knowledge that she might or might not want.


    "Zen... I hope that I didn''t make a mistake in choosing to believe in you." Xu Jiaqi ambiguously said.


    The Emperor''s eyes shot up, sending a gaze filled with disbelief as he stared at the woman. Countless thoughts ran about inside his head. Was this Xu Jiaqi''s way of telling him that she still didn''t trust him? After all that he did, all that he tried to prove?


    "Qiqi-"


    "Ssh. You misunderstood. Why do you always think of the worst possible scenario? You should loosen up a bit. I trust you, but.. One day, if I say that everything might collapse.. I want you to make the correct decision. As someone I trust, shouldn''t you be capable of doing that?" Xu Jiaqi tilted her head, fixing the misconception hurriedly.


    "Everything... collapsing?" Zenith frowned. If there was something that he learned after spending a long time accompanying the lady, it was that she didn''t joke around about serious matters. She was always up front on that subject.


    "Mhm. I won''t say anything. That''s for you to figure out. I am just.. reminding you."


    "Qiqi, you won''t go, right?" Zenith asked with doubt. Somehow, Xu Jiaqi''s eyes seemed to convey  that message. He desperately hoped that he was reading her wrong. After all, the lady was someone who was extremely hard to figure out.


    "...Only time will tell. Life is never static, it will keep on changing... whether the change is good or bad, all we can do is take it, and try to direct it towards the positive side. Try to minimize the chances of failure. Isn''t that right? We have built everything up, but it would only take one mistake for it all to crumble down. Just like how we defeated the Quinnard legacy. We made use of a mistake, that bloomed into another, and finally toppled them down. I just don''t want you to turn all of this into dust. I don''t want you to waste our hard work." Xu Jiaqi trickled her finger down Zenith''s face, to his neck, and to the button of his clothes.


    Her fingers began to undo the buttons, and the man did not resist or flinch. The amount of time they had spent being intimate with each other after their first exchange was aplenty, and Zenith had become rather calm about it, although he was still jumpy about certain things.


    "What am I saying? Even I don''t know." Xu Jiaqi took off his upper clothes pulled the man and pushed him down to the bed, sitting on top of his toned body as she sweetly grinned, beginning to devour the man like she was a starved beast who had just found her meal. "Let''s forget about all of it. Indulge in our time together."


    One day, she ought to forget about him and move on to her next target. Thus, she had to make use of the time she had left to the max. Until she could no longer take it.. Until she departed from this world and jumps into another one.

 Chapter 99 - 2.60

    Since Xu Jiaqi had good memories about her time in this world, and she wasn''t on a rush to escape, she stayed to help out stabilizing the situation even more. She was a perfectionist, not a single thing could go wrong under her watch or she would be severely affected. With both the Holy Land and the Empire''s power indirectly within her hands, she purged the world out of all evil by installing certain laws and traditions that the people would benefit from.


    She also didn''t give up on all the people who previously lived on using the crimes that they committed. She gave them retribution in terms of punishment, but their lives weren''t forfeit. Xu Jiaqi was a realist. She knew that no matter how hard she tried to rehabilitate someone, they would never be able to change from their negative ways. Some people were just like that. In order to get closer to her utopia as much as possible, she built up a new state. It was a state where laws were the strictest, and she made sure that everyone feared this certain place.


    The state was called Intemerata. It was a land that belonged to no one but the officers that Xu Jiaqi handpicked. They were all technically her apprentices- people she picked up and taught from time to time when she was free. She wanted to pass on her control to someone who was worthy, and cultivating other beings were needed for this. The place was ran by people she trusted for quite a bit. All of the criminals that Xu Jiaqi purged were sent there. If they passed a certain bar of judgement, then they would be able to reenter society. If not, then they would be stuck there forever. Intemerata provided accommodation according to the citizens'' ability and achievements.


    Each person''s actions were counted and tallied to form points that would be allocated to their citizenship card. This system did not apply to only Intemerata, but the entire continent. This made everybody easier to identify.


    Everything was going well. After one year had passed, Xu Jiaqi was satisfied with her work. Even if she was to disappear right now, everything would still be able to be carried out without her. She had left her ideas on pieces of literature as well, pouring her knowledge and thoughts into papers. Those who Xu Jiaqi deemed as worthy would inherit the pieces after she died.


    Time continued to pass, and Xu Jiaqi gradually fortified the foundations to such a point that she was sure it would last for generations to come. Of course, the people of the future would propose different ideas, and a change would certainly be made along with advancements in living standards. Xu Jiaqi could only ensure that up to decades after she settled in all of these powerful stratagems, the people would be living freely with many opportunities greeting them as long as they lived upright.


    Today marked exactly one decade. One full decade after she had entered this world. At first, Xu Jiaqi did predict that it would take a long time since the quest was of such a wide scale. The System told her that the Hosts typical spent a lot of time within each world anyway. Not to mention one decade, some agents had to spend centuries in fantasy worlds that involved cultivation and such.


    Xu Jiaqi called all of the main characters that had helped her make the reformed Varadan Empire possible. The Emperor Zenith, the Cardinal Ezra, the Goddess Eula, and last but not least, herself. The Saintess who was in control behind the scenes.


    In truth, she enjoyed holding power from the shadows like this far too much. It allowed her to have a great amount of freedom while simultaneously still being aware of everything going on and making large maneuvers.


    She wanted to hold a celebration for it.


    "Cheers to us all. It has been a long journey, and all of this wouldn''t be possible if you guys didn''t play your parts." Xu Jiaqi raised up her wine glass, bringing it up to the air and clinking it with the other guests who did the same thing.


    She calmly sipped her alcoholic liquid as she sighed. The night was cold. It was nearing winter, so the weather had been getting extreme lately. As a great Ruler, she had made sure that the people would be able to survive throughout the devastating weathers without having much casualties, only a few inconveniences.


    Seeing the city lights shine brightly, illuminating the otherwise pitch black night, she felt a bit proud. This was her first time taking on the challenge of managing an entire world indirectly. Her best record was only the major companies around the world, but she still would''ve struggled to make massive changes. Billions of people lived in her first planet.


    But here she was now. Her words were the rules to her beloved Emperor. She just had to say it and the man would follow without question.


    "Let''s drink this night away, shall we?" Xu Jiaqi laughed cheerily as she poured more liquid for herself, and for the man who she wrapped her arm around. The Emperor who was looking at her with stern eyes, expressing concern over her drinking habits.


    "Truly a good night, hm?" The Goddess grinned sweetly as she spoke. "Truly.. a good night. Good night, my children."


    Something was wrong. Xu Jiaqi raised a brow as she watched the Goddess giggle.


    The Goddess'' gaze changed. An intense danger warning shot up through Xu Jiaqi''s body. Her instincts were telling her to get away from this place and to not waste a single second. An immense pressure holding her down, immobilizing her despite the powers that she thought she had accumulated for all these years.


    How could she be made so powerless all of a sudden? There could only be one clear answer.


    The deity who provided her with said power in the first place.. The Goddess who was floating in front of her, Eula.

 Chapter 100 - 2.61

    "...What is the meaning of all this?" Xu Jiaqi didn''t hesitate to change her stance immediately. She displayed a hostile look towards the deity who was laughing uncontrollably as she drank her wine in one gulp, some of it trickling down her lips. She wiped the residue off with her palm, crossing her arms right after.


    "What do you mean? I''m just celebrating with you guys. Celebrating the return of my powers. Truly, you all were such great children. How innocent.. or should I say, trusting? Orchestrating all of this, fixing the world... I''ll commend you for that. But it''s time to end the play... The world sadly isn''t yours." The Goddess approached Xu Jiaqi, pinching the latter''s chin and tugging it upwards with force.


    The other two men were visibly shocked by the change of situation. They looked at the Goddess in disbelief. Particularly, Zenith had an enraged look to him. The lady he strove to protect was at this deity''s mercy.


    She shouldn''t be like that. He wanted to shout his mind out loud, rescue her from the deity''s clutches.


    She should be someone who stood above others. She deserved that treatment, not something like this.


    "Congratulations. I will be taking back the controls from you. You must think that you are some bigshot or whatever, but did you really think that just because you are a transmigrator, you would be able to step over my authority? That is simply impossible for you current puny state." The Goddess smirked as she landed a heavy slap on Xu Jiaqi.


    Despite being frozen, Xu Jiaqi felt the full extent of the pain. The Goddess used her real powers on that blow.


    Xu Jiaqi stayed calm as she analyzed the event. Zenith freaked out considerably, and his eyes were directed towards the deity. This meant that the Goddess had probably shown herself in physical form towards the man. The Goddess said that it required a high amount of strength, but as long as she continued to recover, she would finally be able to appear in front of the entirety of mankind at her prime state.


    Was the Goddess at her prime state right now?


    "..Really, it irks me. You are very confident. Perhaps arrogant. And I don''t like children who think like you." The Goddess landed another slap. "I must say, you are smart. A prodigy. But in front of pure power, in front of the highest being of this realm, you are still rendered powerless, are you not? I recognize the desire in your eyes. The desire to control everything around you."


    "What on Earth are you- ah!" Xu Jiaqi received another blow. This time, the deity used internal force. It made Xu Jiaqi cough up blood and choke in pain.


    The Goddess emotionlessly looked to the side, where the Cardinal was kneeling down at. The heavy pressure that was applied to them made even Xu Jiaqi cower. Not to mention Ezra, who was weaker than her.


    Without saying a single word, the Goddess stretched out her hand and firmly gripped the man''s neck. Bringing him upwards.


    "What is your motive for this?! Ezra- That man loves you! I am also able to provide you with a way for you two to be together!" Xu Jiaqi''s breath hitched as she watched the man she had led be choked in the air. Strings of Holy power escaped Ezra''s body as he winced in excruciating pain.


    [Host! Host! Get yourself together! That Goddess is a psychotic woman! She is extracting the Holy power from Ezra''s body! At this rate.. Ezra will die. Along with his powers, his life force is also being sucked. I don''t know- I don''t know what her motives are, but she is dangerous news, I say!] The System frantically spoke.


    ''I can tell, I have eyes. I can''t escape from her clutches. Is there something I could do at this point?'' Xu Jiaqi didn''t think that she would be pushed to such a point. She wasn''t majorly affected by it, because she knew that her mission was done by this point. Her only question was, why? Why did the Goddess do this?


    "..And who said I loved Ezra?" The Goddess chuckled darkly. "You know.. It''s actually a pretty good ironical situation. My relationship with Ezra is similar to the one you have with your knight over there. When I said I was fond of the child.. It was because he served a special purpose for me. From when he was first born.. did you think that he already possessed his talents? I was involved in his creation. It was all to stabilize my powers, because I kept.. weakening, and weakening. No matter what I did, it was futile. These useless, filthy humans- they forgot about my true self, and their faith was nowhere to be seen.. They prayed for me to save them, but they didn''t want to save themselves. They wanted me, who they selfishly portrayed as a benevolent deity to save them." The Goddess clenched her hold on Ezra, feeling the streams of power flow back to her.


    "Ezra Lancaster has a part of my power. I just need to withdraw the parts I gave him, and I will finally be complete! I will be... I will be able to ascend into the Higher Realms again. I''ll take my sweet revenge on those who wronged me- Ah, right. Hey, transmigrator, do you know who I am? I wasn''t assigned to this place, everything I told you about my background were lies... I am someone who was kicked out of the Heavenly Realm because of my deeds."


    "...I see." Xu Jiaqi was left a bit speechless, but she was planning to leave this world sooner or later anyway. This outcome made her baffled, but not angered since her job was done.


    The Goddess took her response as a hopeless human who gave up to her fate, making her laughter escalate further.


    "Love? Did you think that what I held towards this human was love? It was all acting. Come to think of it? Aren''t you just the same as me? Someone who loves to act in order to get what they want. Manipulating everybody they could see. Aren''t you a clever bitch. Too bad.. your opponent this time is me. This is my world, and the powers you have belong to me. You can''t escape failure this time, transmigrator.. It''s been a good ride, I had my fun watching all of you return my control of this bullshit world."

 Chapter 101 - 2.62

    "Bullshit world? If it''s a bullshit world, then why are you trying to reclaim it? Being this desperate, playing dirty tricks?" Since Xu Jiaqi knew that her missions would already be considered complete, she didn''t fear the repercussions she would get. She jeered at the shameless deity.


    The one who was most hurt by all of this would definitely be Ezra himself. Unlike the Goddess, his feelings were genuine. During the time that they were acquainted, there were more than ten instances in which Ezra pulled her aside to discuss about the Goddess since he regarded her as technically the closest person to the Goddess.


    In those sessions, he confided in her, and his trust began to develop. The distance between them lessened, much to Zenith''s dislike. Ezra was truly a pure soul who was blind. Blind to the Goddess. Even when the deity was hurting him like this, she was sure that the man didn''t believe the situation. That he assumed this was a dream or a joke. She could see it in his eyes.


    "So- all of it.." Xu Jiaqi trembled as she sucked in a sharp breath. "To Ezra, you lied from the start?"


    "It was indeed... a lie. Don''t worry, I will not kill these two children.. Since they will still be of use to me. As much as I want to be the direct controller, it would be much more efficient to leave it to these two. But you.. you are someone who trespasses the realms of a world, a transmigrator that.. I have to dispose of." The Goddess dropped Ezra''s body down to the floor. The man limped down, his last expression being a devastated one.


    The Goddess then walked over to Xu Jiaqi. Zenith immediately reacted. With all of his power, he tried to break free from the Goddess'' restraints, but who could beat the deity in the very world she governed? Zenith was just a human even if he was an anomaly.


    "...You know, perhaps I would kill both of you at the same time. This man.. is he your companion? He carries the same scent as you. A disgusting scent that repulses me. It irks me that my powers can''t work on him fully.. It would be better if I killed him as well, right? Even better, I shall.. tear your soul apart so that you won''t be able to travel anymore." The Goddess felt Zenith''s struggles and cast a spell on him that tugged on his body, bringing him forcefully to where Xu Jiaqi was laid down at.


    ''Same scent?'' This comment fortified Xu Jiaqi''s assumption that Zenith was related to her. Although she didn''t know the full story yet right now, she was able to confirm that both her and Zenith are beings who the deity couldn''t bypass.


    Xu Jiaqi gritted her teeth. She was truly powerless. Even if the Goddess couldn''t read them, she was able to suppress their bodies using her pure power. If only she was able to pull out the fan that the System gave her, perhaps she would be able to make a change. The fan was something made to defy nature. But that wasn''t possible right now.


    If only there was a gap that she could take advantage of!


    As she racked her brains up to think of solutions, Zenith eyed her with a gaze full of sadness. In his eyes, the most painful thing that he could behold was seeing his lady suffering in front of him. While he was not able to do anything.


    Xu Jiaqi noticed the man''s expression and softened her own. She took a small sigh and assured him. "Don''t worry. Everything will be fine. Even if we get killed, won''t we die together? I said that I would spend the rest of my lifetime with you when you proposed to me. Even if.. even if I still can''t give you my love, if this is our ending.. wouldn''t it still be satisfactory?" Xu Jiaqi laughed as she spoke.


    Zenith widened his eyes. He wanted to shake his head. Say that she couldn''t die like this at all costs. But he couldn''t do even that.


    "...Since you are so confident, why don''t you let my Emperor talk?" Xu Jiaqi cynically said.


    The Goddess looked at her with cold eyes, pursing her lips before huffing. "Well, since I am a merciful deity, I suppose I will let you foolish beings talk for the last time." Goddess Eula replied, snapping her fingers to take off the spell that disabled Zenith from speaking a word.


    Zenith felt like the pressure placed on him lessened. The lump forming a blockage in his throat disappeared. He immediately breathed out loudly, glaring at the Goddess for her actions.


    However, the most important thing wasn''t that. It was the woman beside him. The one he fell in love with since who knows when. He didn''t even realize how deep his feelings were at first. Now, he knew that he would be able to sacrifice everything if it meant that Xu Jiaqi would live on.


    His Qiqi.


    "My love- No, Qiqi, do you still remember the day you asked me to be the Emperor?" Zenith hurriedly exclaimed with an exasperated face. Over the years, he had slowly changed his address to Xu Jiaqi to endearing terms that would be used by couples. Although Xu Jiaqi straightforwardly told him that true love was impossible for her, she allowed it.


    "..Of course I remember. I promised that I will grant whatever you desired as long as I could fulfill it. Was this what you meant by implying that time?" Xu Jiaqi chuckled. "Do you still want me to fulfill your wish? I don''t think I could do much in my state right now. We don''t have much time."


    "..No. I will buy.. give you time. Escape. I will let you live, and I want you to live on. You can''t fall down here. We will definitely reunite, so go on first. That''s my wish, Qiqi." Zenith whispered with a thin voice. Speaking hurt him quite badly. Although the Goddess lessened the pressure, it was still taxing for him to even open his mouth. Xu Jiaqi was able to resist better in this.


    Xu Jiaqi knew that something within Zenith had changed. His tone of speaking, his references.


    "You two are seriously discussing about trying to trick me right in front of said person? How laughable! I knew that mortals were stupid, but I didn''t think that you would be this dumb. Well, this is where all of your cries end. This is where we will part. Sleep tight, you two. Tomorrow, the memories of Varadan will be changed. Ezra Lancaster will be my puppet, and.. there will no longer be an Emperor Zenith or a Saintess Ariel." The Goddess raised her hand to the air.


    However, as she did that, a light suddenly shone from within Zenith''s body. Xu Jiaqi couldn''t quite figure out what it was, but it made her feel very soothed. Just like every other time she touched skin to skin with Zenith. The familiar cool energy that she had been treating herself with all these years. Just much more potent. It made her feel serene.


    The Goddess was shocked by the display. A terrified expression flashed through for an instant before disappearing.


    "Ahah.. Hahah! I''ve finally figured it out... I see, so that is who you are. No wonder I wasn''t able to figure it out! Tch. Well, I''m still a bad match for you in this realm. Have you really taken the form of a mortal just for this woman? I heard about you story! But here, I am a deity, while you two are just a struggling mortal travelers. No matter what your identity is, you can''t just surpass that law." The Goddess looked quite disturbed, but she hurriedly regained her calm and snickered, laughing at Zenith for having done a dumb thing.


    "It is futile! I have already told you. I will suppress you no matter what!" The Goddess looked agitated. She raised her volume and shouted into the air. It was as if a legendary fight was happening right in front of Xu Jiaqi''s eyes.


    "It''s my fault that I realized the truth too late... If I knew earlier, I would''ve been able to save you in this world. Goodbye for now, Qiqi." Zenith broke the two of them free from the Goddess'' restraints and embraced her, enveloping her with the strange power that he had.


    Despite all this, the last thing that she was able to capture was the sight of Zenith smiling at her with a complicated expression. Although he didn''t say anything, she was able to tell that this was their goodbye. Tears unintentionally streamed down her face, and she blacked out without seeing the end of things.


    When she woke up, she was back in the System space. A light ball appeared in the air. It was the System.


    Her head was ringing extremely bad. It was painful, to say the least.. Clutching her head, she let out a large sigh.

 Chapter 102 - 2.63

    She didn''t know how things turned out to be in that world, but judging by how she was back in here, Zenith didn''t succeed. How bad was it? A grim expression was plastered on her face.


    "..This is why I said love was nonexistent. This is why- Love is a trap. It''s all a shitty trap! That fucking Goddess- I swear to God. Haah..." Xu Jiaqi couldn''t resist cursing endlessly. She thought that she was wary enough, but her perception towards love was truly weak. She couldn''t capture the Goddess'' true intentions.


    She let out a loud sigh. The System hurriedly floated to her, not knowing how to proceed from his current position.


    [H-Host...] The System was also considerably affected by the change in Xu Jiaqi''s emotions. He could feel how angry the Host was. How frustrated she was.


    "...I''m tired. Leave me alone for a bit." Xu Jiaqi bit her lips in frustration. She didn''t like this at all. This conclusion. The fact that the ending got out of control. That she couldn''t do anything to direct it in the slightest.


    The System was reluctant, but he ended up leaving since Xu Jiaqi was really not suited to talking right now. If she was provoked any longer, she might even lose her mind.


    Xu Jiaqi sat there, surrounded by nothing, as she tried to meditate amidst her raging emotions. It took her everything to not act uncouth and absolutely go ballistic without care.


    But there was something much more important than that. If she went mad instead of trying to reach a resolution, it would be her loss. Instead, she arranged all of the events and clues inside her head, trying to piece out what in the hell happened during those years.


    She stayed focused. Seconds piled up into a mountain and turned into hours. Xu Jiaqi kept hammering peace into herself until she was sure that her heart was as calm as unbending mountains.


    She called the System over, wanting to look for clarification. The System had been readying himself up for the explanations and gradings. He waited for this call to come up since Xu Jiaqi sent him away.


    "Are the grades ready?" she asked.


    [Yes, Host. Please take a look. Congratulations, you have finished with flying colors this time too.] The System presented Xu Jiaqi with several System notification windows that elapsed over Xu Jiaqi''s vision.


    Xu Jiaqi skimmed over the data and narrowed her eyes.


    SS+. The highest grade possible. Even so, Xu Jiaqi was not at least satisfied. Because the ending that she ended up reaching was not one that she desired for.


    "System, let''s have a long talk." The grades were not of high priority to Xu Jiaqi in the first place, she just wanted to make sure that her score was exemplary. She didn''t bother looking over the small details.


    The System was a bit frightened, but replied positively and accompanied Xu Jiaqi.


    "First off.. Let''s start with the Goddess Eula. She''s a deity that knows transmigrators.. And also seemed to know Zenith when he revealed his powers. Do you know something about that?" Xu Jiaqi glared at the System for a few seconds, but she realized that the System was also just as troubled as she was. He wasn''t at fault. In fact, the System had been a very good partner in assisting and supporting her work.


    She took a long breath, calming down as she controlled her emotions. It wasn''t like her to get out of control like this, but having to end up in such a sorry state made her heavily disturbed.


    [T-The Gods and Goddesses all have divinity. No matter what realm they hail from, the divinity that they possess will be the same.. An energy called ''Aura''. Aura is.. akin to mana, but it is in a much higher and stabler form. Aura is the purest form of mana, one that can''t be dispersed no matter how much you use it. Someone''s Aura will be identical to none.. And this is probably why Goddess Eula recognized Zenith.]


    A distinct Aura. The  cool mist that Zenith used back then. That must be his Aura.


    "So the power Zen used in our last moments was Aura? Doesn''t that mean.. he''s a deity?"


    A deity who had lost his memories.. Or rather, had to lose his memories in order to accomplish something. To seek her out? Not Ariel Maine, but instead.. Xu Jiaqi herself. Xu Jiaqi''s soul. Zenith only recovered his memory at the last second, but he knew things that she didn''t. He knew that he had failed to protect her ''again''.


    It meant that there were previous occasions.


    Just what kind of past did she have, that she was able to be acquainted with a literal deity and garner his affection?


    [Host.. I''m extremely sorry. I''m not able to tell you much. Your authority is not sufficient for the moment, but you are on the right track. Please understand my conditions as well..] The System was under pressure. He knew the answer to Xu Jiaqi''s question.


    Zenith''s Aura.. It was something that couldn''t be mistaken for something else. Even within the countless sea of many Auras, Zenith''s one stood out.


    "..Don''t worry. I don''t plan on blaming you. I know that you''re working under another entity.. It''s understandable." Xu Jiaqi pursed her lips. She had expected for everything to be covered up.


    From the reactions that happened in that time, clearly Zenith was not just a simple person, but rather a great deity. Even the Goddess acted weirdly. She was distraught, and her words implied that Zenith was someone stronger than her. The only reason he would lose was because Zenith took a mortal form.


    [...Thanking Host for being reasonable.] The System burst with happiness upon receiving Xu Jiaqi''s response. He was quite frightened because he heard from other Systems that there were many Hosts that became entitled extremely quick, thinking that they owned their Systems and that they ruled over every other thing just because of the privilege they got being an agent.


    Xu Jiaqi was of course, not someone who would do such a disgraceful thing.

 Chapter 103 - 2.64

    She contemplated for a moment. All the signs pointed to Zenith, who was able to wield Aura to be connected to her in some way. Her incomplete self. Forgotten memories. Cryptic dreams.


    It was all a large puzzle that Xu Jiaqi wasn''t able to solve. She didn''t even know where to look for the puzzle pieces. Everything had been toppled over, and she had to scramble to look for any potential clues.


    Anything that could solve this maddening curiosity and confusion of hers.


    There must be an ending to all of this. A way that would clear everything up.


    Just one thing was sure. When Zenith spoke to her like that, it was as if an undying flame had been rekindled inside her heart. She held an intense longing to reach out for the man when he used his Aura. The calming energy that.. made her feel comfortable.


    Who on Earth was Zenith? He was such a mysterious presence. Someone who she couldn''t reach right now.


    "Zenith using his Aura like that, was it necessary? Wouldn''t we have just died there and returned here?" Xu Jiaqi asked. She wondered if the man''s gallant display was actually a futile thing.


    [Since you helped her a lot, the Goddess actually received a promotion. The people''s faith in her was extremely stable and powerful, and it made her much stronger than what she originally was. When she attacked you for the last time, she used her full power. If it was a direct hit, and Zenith''s Aura wasn''t protecting you.. Your soul wouldn''t have been able to live on. It would''ve been ripped to shreds, or be left in critical condition. The Goddess was extremely serious when she said that she was going to eliminate you. She is an outcast in the first place, someone who wasn''t accepted by the Heavenly Realms. She wouldn''t fear the Absolute Being.]


    "So, Zenith''s Aura is stronger than that Goddess? That was her world, and he was able to let me live on. He must be.. very powerful, hm?" Xu Jiaqi mused. "Also.. this Absolute Being you are speaking about is... a Ruler of higher beings? Or something of that kind?"


    [I can''t say anything about his identity, or what the outcome is. It is all still being reviewed by the Main System that governs over the universes. However, please rest assured, Host. This kind of act, if reported to the authorities, will not be left alone. The Goddess had wronged a key part of the universe''s rule. As for the Absolute Being.. He is the one who created the Main System. The one who created the universes. The deities. Everything came from him.]


    "That rule.. is it related to endangering a transmigrator?" Xu Jiaqi''s interest was piqued.


    [Yes. Essentially, transmigrators could be considered as agents that saves worlds. Although it all depends on each agent, if it is someone like you, who takes things to the maximum profitable level possible, they will be protected under this law. Law is equal to all beings, and so is the punishment and rewards. What Goddess Eula had done was equal to not only threatening your wellbeing, but the entire world. She will be dealt with harsh consequences.]


    "Hmm.. So in a sense, there is a hierarchy that revolves around the universes... A series of fates that applies on those universes, and a power that works to unify them all. The Absolute Being with the most powerful Aura?" Xu Jiaqi concluded everything from what she had heard and theorized.


    [..It is a complex System that you will be able to find out more about in the future. You just have to increase your authority and upgrade me along with it. All of it will be accomplished through completing worlds.]


    "Haah. I understand. How many days of vacation do I have? Surely, quite many?" Xu Jiaqi ruffled her hair slightly.


    [Actually, the Main System is willing to give you months of holidays. Your incident is being reviewed, and if you go to the next world right now, you might disrupt the calculations and screw yourself over. So.. It is actually better if you stay here for the time being. Your soul is also still quite unstable, although the brunt of the Goddess'' force was taken up by Zenith. I might be absent for a few while to sort things out. In this mean time, please rest a lot, Host.] The System advised.


    "..I guess so. One more question, then..." Xu Jiaqi''s gaze grew tender as she gazed upon the System. "Is Zenith safe? Or.. did he have to pay a hellish price for what he did?"


    [..I am still not able to make sure he is okay, but please be assured. He is someone much higher than you might think. He wouldn''t perish just because of a Goddess like Eula, even if he is in his weakened state. He is.. someone who can''t die.]


    "What about me?"


    [What about you, Host?] The System was confused.


    "How much do I have to level up my authority in order for me to be able to.. regain my past memories? I know that there is more to my existence. I have.. glimpses of worlds that I have no recollection of going through. In those scenes, I always met a bad end. An overwhelming wave of emotions that I have never come in contact with. Tell me, how am I supposed to cope with all these, if I don''t get my answer soon enough?"


    Xu Jiaqi knew that she would break sooner or later. No matter how strong her mentality was. The emptiness that resided within her, as a result of not knowing the full truth was suffocating.


    She was like a ticking time bomb, waiting to break apart.


    [Please.. trust me, Host. I know that I might not sound reliable since I can''t tell you much, but everything will be alright.] The System was unable to answer.


    He had also learned of Xu Jiaqi''s true worth recently. After he found strange occurrences and anomalies, he hurried to look for answers. Just like the current Xu Jiaqi.


    And the answers he found were shocking, to say the least.

 Chapter 104 - 2.65 [END]

    The fact that she was nobody else but that legendary figure. Just hearing her story made him unconsciously want to cry due to the amount of sympathy he harbored towards the Host. However, he really couldn''t afford to tell her about everything just yet.


    He was also caught in his own dilemma. The fact that such an important figure fell into his hands. If he made one single wrong mistake, then that person would definitely.. come to pull the plug of his life support out.


    "...Okay. Since you are my System, and I will be stuck with you for a long, long time.. Once again, I want to enforce our cooperation. When we first met, I just took all of this as a fun trip, I didn''t have anything to reach for. But now.. I have a gist of what I want to achieve, what I want to do." Xu Jiaqi said.


    The System was pleasantly surprised after hearing that. He took Xu Jiaqi''s response as a desire to form trust between them. Not only a System and his Host, but having a bond other than work.


    [Of course, Host! Host is the best!] The System cheerfully said.


    "Now then, what should I do now? I want to rush into the next world as fast as possible.. There really isn''t any other way for me to progress other than doing agent work for now, right?"


    [Well- to be completely honest, isn''t it better if Host relaxes while you do your missions? Although I sometimes warn you to stay on track.. It would be better for you in the long run if you managed your pace properly. You don''t have to rush towards.. an unforeseeable goal in the future. I will make sure to tell you if there is something new that you can discover that is related to your goal.]


    ''You''re.. right. I guess I''m just so shocked over all of this." Xu Jiaqi rambled as she broke into a laughter.


    The System heaved a relieved sigh, seeing the Host smile like usual.


    Yes. He had to keep her stable. If her awakening happened much earlier than it was supposed to.. Then everything would fall apart. He couldn''t let that happen.


    How could such a heavy task fall on him? He would never know. But he was determined to do his job correctly. As best as he could.


    "How much time does the Main System need to process everything? Also, I can modify my System space, right?"


    [It should be approximately.. in a week or so. That''s the minimum required time, since this is a quite large case. Your soul will also need recuperation, and this time should be enough for it to stabilize. About the System space, yes, you are able to modify the interior and all that just with your thoughts. Please make yourself as comfortable as you wish here.] The System answered in a clear and concise voice.


    "Great. I will start designing the entire place up, then." Xu Jiaqi stretched her body, beginning to use her mind to spawn several necessities. She had fun with her mind, and within a short time, many items were neatly arranged.


    Xu Jiaqi hummed a happy tune as she finished up her temporary abode. Then, the System suddenly came back to her and sent a notification window down her way.


    [Ah, Host. There is another rewards that the Main System decided to give you. Other than the soul orbs from the world, which has been absorbed into your soul, I also retrieved a pair of swords!] The System announced.


    "...Why are all the rewards for fighting? Well, considering fantasy worlds, that may provide great assistance to me, but still.." Xu Jiaqi commented. She wasn''t complaining, though. The items were cool, and she liked wielding it. She could feel the overwhelming aura that poured out of it. This kind of thing couldn''t have been spewed out of normal weapons. The weight of the power was transmitted to her very well.


    [Cloud''s Ascent


    -The pair of swords were created by a legendary blacksmith back when he was still young. Due to his lacking skills at that time, the swords he envisioned were never born. The pair is split into two, the Cloud and the Water. The more the Water is utilized, the heavier the Cloud will be. Similarly, the more the Cloud is utilized, the lighter the Water will be. The user must find a correct balance in the dual wielding. The usage can''t be maximized due to it only being a prototype. Can be refined with the correct set of conditions. Binds to one being and will not be able to be wielded by someone else. Current owner: Xu Jiaqi.]


    The pair of swords emitted a cold blue light, and had a golden tassel on the edge of their handles. They were very similar to each other, but there were markings of their respective name on the handles, letting the holder know which one was which.


    "..Hm. It sounds fancy. These swords.. are incomplete, right? At least it''s not a trial item like the fan.." Xu Jiaqi analyzed the weapons with twinkling eyes. "However, I only know the basics of swordsmanship. Zenith did teach me some, and I also learned from seeing him. But.. for the most part, magic will be much more efficient."


    [Host, why don''t you try learning swordsmanship while you are in this space? I will grant you the facilities to do that, it will be part of your rewards.] The System suggested.


    "Learning to fight? Sure thing, I was scared that I will get bored in this space while waiting anyway. Can I really learn anything substantial within a week, though?"


    [Just hammer in the basics and wing the rest by yourself, Host! You are an expert at making things up, do the same for the swords!"]


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyebrows twitched. Indeed, she was such a person, but having it be said to her straight up like this felt a bit weird.


    "En, let me train for the rest of the time I have. Who knows what will happen in the future?" Xu Jiaqi shrugged the matter off.


    The System, having received the approval, went on his way to set the training grounds up. Xu Jiaqi entered the start of her trials, and ended up being tutored harshly by the teaching system implemented.


    Even so, despite all the suffering and troubles, she was able to get to a rather high level of understanding with how the swords worked. For the time being, it was enough.


    Soon, one week passed in the blink of an eye.. Xu Jiaqi was notified of the end of the session.

 Chapter 105 - 3.1

    [Welcome back, Host! Are you ready to go to the next world, or do you want to train a bit more?]


    "Send me to the next world. I''ve cleared up my mind after grinding those skills all day long!" Xu Jiaqi grumbled. She was still able to partially feel the effects of her training. A lot of her body parts had phantom pain of being beaten down by the training robots.


    [Understood, Host. Then, please allow me to transfer your soul...] The System spoke, entering an automatic process in which Xu Jiaqi was warped by the System''s mechanism.


    Within seconds, she passed through the dimensional rupture to another realm, and entered the body of her new character.


    Xu Jiaqi massaged her head as always, feeling the stinging pain gradually fade away as she waited.


    With just one glance of her surroundings, she was able to theorize that she was currently in a somewhat fantasy setting as well. There were not any modern technology to be seen. Instead, she saw a lot of unique signs that were written in traditional Chinese letters.


    She was sitting down in a dark alley. A strong stench was present in every single inch of the location, making her uncomfortable. She stood up. Just like Ariel of the previous world, she was able to tell that her body was malnourished, and that she wasn''t living the best life ever.


    It was such a stark comparison to the tutorial world where she was a big lady with loving parents.


    She sighed. Before, she was still inside a Duke''s house, but now, she was reduced to nothing but a young girl who belongs to the dark alleys. Her starting condition worsened with every single world. What would happen in the next one? What could be worse?


    The System was nowhere to be found for the time being because he went away to sort Xu Jiaqi''s assimilation out. Xu Jiaqi didn''t know just what to do yet, and chose to stay in her lane, waiting for the System to come back.


    Although she already got the gist of her situation, she wanted a definite clarification.


    In a few minutes, the System returned and was audibly shocked by Xu Jiaqi''s condition. He had known that it would be somewhat bad when he worked on the data, but to think that his Host was this miserable... Wuwuwu!


    "System... send the information to me." Xu Jiaqi rubbed her stomach. It was churning at least two times in a minute. She was extremely famished and thirsty. There was something that needed to be done to fix this.


    The System then sent the obtained information about the world directly into Xu Jiaqi''s mind in an instant.


    Wincing at the intrusive entrance, Xu Jiaqi''s forehead creased as she instinctively rubbed her temples, even though the pain was for the soul and not a morphological one.


    Xu Jiaqi had memories of the previous soul flashing before her mind in a second and gritted her teeth as some unpleasant memories triggered an adverse reaction on her.


    The original ''Xu Jiaqi'' was a miserable human being. That''s right, her name in this world was the same as her true name. With the assistance of a small mirror that the System conveniently pulled out, Xu Jiaqi also knew that she shared a bit of similarity with her own appearance, only in a bad state because of her living conditions.


    The world seemed to hate ''Xu Jiaqi'' to no ends.


    She was born to a prostitute mother. Her father was a customer to the brothel her mother was contracted to. Her mother was named Xu Yan, and bore the name ''Blossom'' when she worked in the night district. Blossom was renowned in her profession, having a rare beauty that one would drool over. Her father, who ran away after fooling the beauty into thinking that he had all the riches in the world, was only able to convince Blossom to not abort the child because he continuously duped her with words.


    Day and night, Blossom was treated by the kind approach of this kind customer and slowly fell in love. She was naive and gullible back then. She  had just entered the industry and wasn''t aware of how cruel the world could actually be. She actually believed that this man, who frequently visited her to have bodily interactions and impregnated her was sincere.


    If only she was more mature, perhaps the Xu Jiaqi of this world wouldn''t have been born in the first place. Perhaps the innocent, childish side of Xu Yan wouldn''t have evaporated to never return.


    Xu Yan believed in the love that she thought the man had towards her. The man seemed so devoted. Like he was truly bewitched by Xu Yan. But now, after the revelation and betrayal was exposed, she didn''t even know if the name he gave to her, Liu Han, was true or not.


    The man threw her away very coldly. He disappeared after leaving a note with degrading words. The heartbreaking reveal struck her mentality hard, and plunged her straight into depression as she was heavily pregnant, near to her estimated labor date.


    The night district was twisted. Liu Han promised that he would take her out of the district as soon as he could, but it was all empty promises. All Xu Yan got was hell. There were customers who had a fetish towards pregnant women. These customers would book Xu Yan up and enjoy her services, disgustingly.


    Whenever she wasn''t forced into serving these men, she would cry her heart out. But her naive heart, what exactly did it do? It waited upon Liu Han''s return. Believing that he was just joking and that he would come back as soon as her child was born. That everything would go back to when they lovingly spent their time side by side.  Their child would even be included in this scheme, making it a happy family.


    Escaping from the district and having a loving family, that was Xu Yan''s dream all along.


    All of it was crushed down by the hard reality that Xu Yan refused to believe in.


    Within all this, the child that Xu Yan bore from Liu Han''s seed was precisely who Xu Jiaqi was.


    Xu Jiaqi: Can''t believe it, I am an unwanted child again. Who dares to not want me? How preposterous!

 Chapter 106 - 3.2

    It was during that period that she steeled her mind and heart, sealing her true feelings off and putting on a false facade before the peers. She hated the world for hating her, and that hatred passed onto Yue Ling, who put her in the brink of death after hours and hours of labor as she wasn''t provided with extensive care and was still categorized as a young teen.


    Losing her trust and hope for humanity after all the pain that she had to bear, she didn''t even have the time to cry over her fate and recover from the blows before she was forced into prostitution once again. Such was the harsh laws of the world.


    Xu Yan proved herself to be a much more competent worker than she thought she was. She learned to utilize her charms in the correct way, and soon her name began to rise up. She started getting an influx of customers, and tasted success bit by bit. Drunk in the feeling of being appreciated, she didn''t have time to pay attention and care for Xu Jiaqi, her own daughter.


    Instead, she passed Xu Jiaqi over to one of the brothel''s lower servants and did not pay any further heed to how the child was treated. Since she grew to have more power, she gave away some money to the caretaker and left to do her own business in enticing the customers.


    After keeping up her good work, she rose to the top of the ranks. Her name was widespread. Her beauty and charms were unlike the other workers, who couldn''t manage to fathom how Xu Yan was able to captivate the hearts of so many people. Xu Yan, standing on the top of the food chain and being desired by the general public as ''Blossom'', became fascinated.


    Little to no one disrespected her, she was a revered figure that held many men''s hearts in her grasp. Her influence grew, and those who were willing to pay a huge fortune just to entertain her appeared left and right.


    Her words were like gold, as everyone tried to adhere to her and spoil her, make her happy. In return, she just had to provide her service. She took advantage of her assets and reeled all of her customers into her spider web. She was able to choose her customers, and no longer had to service those who she hated with a passion.


    She had freedom. Even in the cruel night district industry, she had freedom.


    Although her endless facade could not be erased, she felt a bit of joy over the control and power she had. Then, where was Xu Jiaqi''s position in all of this?


    Nowhere. Xu Yan had no interest in the child.


    She was the Queen of the Night, and she was not going to let anybody shake her throne.


    Just like that, the child named Xu Jiaqi, born out of an unclear affair, was left to fend for herself if she did not wish to die.


    The caretaker hurriedly bailed out upon receiving the money. Luckily for her, Xu Yan did not inquire about Xu Jiaqi''s wellbeing in the slightest, so there was nothing that could be traced down to the child currently thrown into a slum.


    "..So you''re saying that I am such a minor character that.. my mother, who was someone completely unrelated to the story in the first place, occupied all the information that I inherited? Like.. where are the leads in all of this?!" Xu Jiaqi sighed. Her stomach was feeling awful. She could only wallow in sadness at the ridiculousness of things.


    [..Sadly, yes. Also, your condition is not the best right now. Not only did the original body already suffer a lot from the lack of food intake, you coming into her body also made the toll even harsher.] The System warned.


    "I can tell. Are you only here to tell me about it, or are you going to give me something to fix this condition of mine?" Xu Jiaqi questioned as she grumbled, thinking about what her next plan should be.


    [Hehe. I reacted quickly before we jumped into this world when I saw that the lottery hit this kind of setting. Do you want some bread?] The System really couldn''t do much. It spawned two loafs of bread, which was given to Xu Jiaqi and munched by her. The System also kindly gave some water to quench her thirst.


    Xu Jiaqi glared at the wall right in front of her. The System was able to provide her with food, but it couldn''t tamper with much more. In fact, for him to give her this supply of food was already a great thing.


    Since she was completely powerless, and there was no loopholes that she could latch onto, this world was bound to be hard. As Yue Yan''s daughter, she was naturally a beauty. Her father should also look quite good, to be able to produce such an exquisite face.


    The fact that even as a child, parts of that great beauty already showed up made Xu Jiaqi sure that she would be able to utilize her beauty as part of her potential weapon in the future, only if she was able to gain leverage to care for her body more.


    As of now, Xu Jiaqi was already latched on to a wooden balcony fence, using her inner strength to pull herself up and stand on the higher ground. She was feeling weak, but she resisted it. She had to escape from this slum, first of all.


    Chances would only come if she got out of this district. At the very least, she had to run away to a decent place where her chances of survival would be upped. She latched onto a rocky building''s walls, dangling herself over dangerous places. She then began to maneuver over the buildings to look around the place.


    Wanting to reach a building''s rooftop, which was also coincidentally the most conspicuous one of all, she stepped on the fences to make a jump filled with impact, that should''ve landed her safely on top of the desired destination.


    However, she overestimated the building''s ability to hold itself together as her body punctured the roof due to the momentum that her body had.


    Baam!


    Xu Jiaqi: Wow, my luck is shit.


    The wooden roof piece her feet landed on crumbled down, and Xu Jiaqi fell on her butt. Pain struck her and spread throughout her entire body as the impact of the fall was quite harsh. In a reflex, she rolled away and looked left and right.


    The building was actually being used for a VIP meeting. A top secret information was coincidentally about to be relayed the exact moment Xu Jiaqi fell through, so she was immediately treated as a spy! An intruder who wished to disturb their affairs.


    "C-CHASE HER! CATCH HER FOR ME!" One of the attendees shouted, making dozens of guards clad in armor appear out of nowhere and surge to the floor Xu Jiaqi was in.


    Without having to process the situation any longer, she just knew that she had to get out, or else her life would be forfeit. This was not the modern era, where people would at least have a slight bit of hesitation to kill another in fear of law. The law here was weak! Or else, how could Xu Yan have thrown her away like that without any repercussions coming back to bite her?


    In fact, it was a miracle that the  original Xu Jiaqi even managed to live this long.


    "Damn, everybody wants to catch this great master!" Xu Jiaqi cursed as she ran to the balcony and jumped over to another building through an open window. Using her skills and small body, she ran around the place.


    She saw guards that also had great jumping prowess aiming to cross over to her place, and she instantly knew that she wouldn''t be able to run away at this rate. No matter how skilled she was, and how hard she tried to run, she was still just a young child. She was even younger than Ariel when she first entered her body. Not only that, her malnourished state was worse than before.


    "I expected too much of the building structure, I suppose." Xu Jiaqi leapt through a window and jumped over to a lower building, landing safely and using it as a propeller for her next motion. "I recall that this world doesn''t have magic, right?"


    [Yes, Host. Whatever you are thinking of, please cease this instant. You might hurt yourself if you don''t progress with a clear mind.]


    "..I was just asking, you know?!" Xu Jiaqi saw a narrow alley that would definitely fit her, but not the chasers from the corner of her eye. Only, there was a large building in between the two areas that didn''t leave her any means to climb or hang upon. If she could get there, then her escape would probably be certain for the time being.


    "System, teleporting seems fun, right?" Xu Jiaqi raised a brow. She couldn''t come to a halt, but she was also about to reach her body''s limit. In the previous world, she had utilized teleportation spells a lot and immediately had her mind hover to that option.


    Xu Jiaqi: Guards, do you want to see a magician in action?

 Chapter 107 - 3.3

    [No, no, no! No teleportation! You can''t! The mystical energy here is barely there, and is only present to support the flow of things, not to be used for magic!]


    "But there is enough energy for me to teleport~" Xu Jiaqi whined.


    Biting her lips harshly, she leapt off into the crowd, shocking everyone in her presence. Shouts and screams started rising in volume as she kept running through the masses with ease.


    "System, can you map out this entire place for me? Find a place that I can hide in, and lead me there." Xu Jiaqi instructed.


    [On it, Host! I already started to map it out before you even asked! Err... It''s in the second right turn you will encounter from this path. I will transfer the map to your mind, Host. Please follow the glowing path!]


    Xu Jiaqi received the directions and smiled. She followed the System''s instructions, pushing her body to go as fast as she could for this final spurt. She dashed towards the right turn the System mentioned.


    Behind her, there was already a guard that caught up with Xu Jiaqi. He stretched his arm out to attack her, but she narrowly dodged the strike by a split second.


    With her agility and small stature, she made a quick dash and entered an alley narrower from the previous one she was in. The process of dodging the attacks by a slim chance, running forward in a misleading motion, and escaping made Xu Jiaqi exhausted. Her legs almost gave out as she ran towards a box that was awfully unsettling.


    "What is this? A cage?" Xu Jiaqi entered the place. She had spent her last bits of energy getting inside the box. Hearing a string of angry curses from far away, she leaned against the cramped cage''s walls as there was no strength left in her. Her feet had blisters from running on such a rough surface while not wearing any foot apparel.


    She felt like her heart was about to burst from the amount of strenuous activity she did.


    Adrenaline was the key. In truth, her body wouldn''t be able to handle it without the pumping adrenaline, so it immediately collapsed upon reaching what System regarded as a ''safe'' place.


    Trembling, she felt her vision weaken as she finally lost her consciousness.


    Back in the building Xu Jiaqi crashed into, a man sitting with leisure behind sheer curtains was in the middle of receiving a report from his subordinate.


    "We weren''t able to catch the girl. We are willing to shoulder the blame and take on the punishments!" The guards were the ones employed by the building they were in, not ones working under the man.


    He did not spare a single gaze at the guards, who were grovelling down on the ground along with the building''s owner.


    "All is fine. It is just a stray kitten..." The man smirked as he reminisced about the girl who jumped down, bringing shattered wood pieces along with her petite body.


    When she fell, her gaze landed straight on the place he was sitting by, but the curtains prevented any eye contact being made. His trained eyes, however, was enough to take a good look at the young girl.


    She looked visibly shocked as well. So shocked that it looked quite cute, creating a smile on his face. He didn''t believe that the girl was a spy. More like a frightened cat who got in trouble.


    He whispered in a low voice. "...Should I hunt her down?"


    The voice was heard by one of his elite guards, who looked at him and asked if he wanted the girl to be disposed. It would be as easy as throwing a trash bag into the can for them.


    "No. I''ll be going out for a moment. The meeting is adjourned. The damages.. I will pay for it. Charge the bill to my attendant, he will take care of the reparations." The man stood up from his chair and looked towards the huge mess made by the window.


    Unconsciously, a smile appeared on his face. An interesting subject had just appeared, how could he not be entertained? Somehow, he felt like he had to chase down this little prey no matter what. Secure her and make sure that she wasn''t out of his eyes.


    What kind of strange attraction was this? It was his first time having to harbor such a feeling.


    "W-we thank the Esteemed Lord for his grace!" Their bodies trembled as they heaved a sigh of relief, hearing that the matter would be let go and forgiven. They were not foreign to the Lord''s notorious personality, as it was the very cause of his widespread infamy. If he wanted for a life to be gone, then that person could only silently accept their fate.


    "You are all dismissed. Get out of this room, and train harder. What use are you guys if you can''t even catch a frail girl like that?" With a stern voice, he announced.


    "Yes, Lord!" They simultaneously answered, scurrying far away from the room, their minds filled with fear and terror. They didn''t want to be inside the room for a second longer, scared that the lord would change his mind and offer a punishment up for them.


    After they left, the man got out of the building, jumping out and showing his expertise at moving around. Then, a frown appeared on his forehead.


    "She didn''t wear any shoes, if I recall correctly." He felt that the ground was tough and rocky. The guards that chased her all wore protective clothing, and wouldn''t be affected in the slightest.


    But the girl''s feet, being forced to run across this type of surface, wouldn''t it be painful? He cast his eyes over the path that he saw the girl take and saw that there were indeed faint traces of blood.


    "Adding to my lord''s information, this subordinate also saw that the girl did not wear any protective layer other than the tattered cloth. Perhaps she is a slum girl, judging from her characteristics." One of his most trusted elite guards offered up his observation.


    The man agreed with him.


    "....I must remind her to wear more later on, then."

 Chapter 108 - 3.4

    "Is the lord planning to...?"


    "Nothing much. I was just thinking that it would be interesting to have a new kitten as a pet. Don''t you think so too?" The man had an emerald earring clipped onto his left ear. When he smiled brightly and turned his head, the earring jiggled and reflected the light of the sun, making it even more dazzling.


    The faint bamboo smell that naturally came out of the lord''s body wafted into the guard''s nose.


    "I understand, my lord." The guard bowed and disappeared out of sight.


    The lord''s words were like law to the elite guards. Every single order he made are to be followed.


    If the lord wished to treat this person he regarded as a stray kitten well, then she would be offered nothing but the best treatment. If the lord wanted her life, then her head would not be intact by the next day.


    It was the first option that the lord desired, so he had to make his preparations to welcome this new pet into their residence.


    The lord was truly a surprising person whose mind couldn''t be fathomed.


    As for Xu Jiaqi, she kept sleeping inside the cage that she got into. She didn''t know what it used to house before she intruded, but there was nobody who disturbed her as she slept through the day. Her body was extremely tired and bruised. The next day, Xu Jiaqi was able to wake up with her strength somewhat replenished to a decent level.


    Perhaps it was due to the System, but Xu Jiaqi felt like she wasn''t overcame with as much pain as she thought she deserved after all of that crazy stunt. She just wanted to get away from the slum district, but who knew that she would get into this kind of trouble?


    Anyway, she had to confirm where she currently was. Inside her mind, she had a map of the entire place, so it didn''t take long for her to figure out that she was currently inside the outer part of the city they were in. This place was rarely visited, and hiding here was a piece of cake.


    "System, are you there? Come out for me."


    [You have awoken, Host! Wuwuwu, yesterday''s events were so scary!]


    "At least we got out alive. Listen, in this era... We have to be a bii~t more careful. Just a bit. Until we grow stronger, and more influential, we have to keep our head on our body." Xu Jiaqi opened the door to the cage. The bright sun rays attacked her sight.


    She got out of the rather sizeable cage.


    She didn''t know what it was used for prior to her arrival, but it was conveniently there, so she thanked it for saving her life temporarily.


    "System, do you have the missions up yet? Send it to me, we need to start planning our moves. I have to secure my living conditions, or else, I wouldn''t even be able to do the smallest things." Xu Jiaqi sighed, still lamenting her hard life.


    [On it, Host! I have acquired the information, I will transfer it to you right now!] The System enthusiastically replied.


    In a few seconds, Xu Jiaqi was able to feel her mind absorb a set of information. It was the Main Quest.


    [Main Quest: A Redemption Arc For a Tragic Soul


    Details: Xu Jiaqi was someone who was thrown away by the world without batting an eye. A terrible injustice had plagued her until she finally lost her life at a very young age, not even able to enter adulthood before she sadly departed from the world. Xu Jiaqi had a dream, and that was to live her life to the fullest, to the point where nobody would be able to cross her path. To fulfill her wish, you must become someone who is above one hundred thousand people and below none. Condition: You can''t die before you reach 30 years old, because the original soul wanted to live her maximum life. 30 years old is the expected time limit for Xu Jiaqi''s body, so do not die before that time. ]


    [Main Quest: A Father Figure


    Details: As someone who was born out of unclear origins, Xu Jiaqi had always been curious about her parental figure. She did not have any love towards the man, but it couldn''t be refuted that she  sometimes dreamed of what it would be like if she was born in a more normal family. One of her hidden wishes was to discover her father''s identity and whereabouts- something that she was never able to do in her entire life. Not once had she seen what kind of man captivated her mother and brought her to the world. To fulfill this mission, please search for the original body''s biological father and meet with him.]


    "...Hmm, it seems like I would have to do a similar feat like the previous world''s. As for the second mission.. It should come as we grow stronger. Finding and tracking someone like him should be easier by that point."


    "The little kitten really lives in a cage, how suitable. It must be fate, everything matches up." A sultry, melodious voice suddenly attacked Xu Jiaqi''s ears out of nowhere as she stretched her body and ruffled her hair up.


    She turned her head around to see who it was. Surprise, surprise, it was nobody else but a super high ranking-looking person. His clothes had streaks of gold, which was something that wasn''t allowed in this specific period except for those who were from the imperial lineage or given special permission to adorn themselves in gold. It was a reserved color that would get you into massive punishments if the law protectors caught you crossing the rule.


    "..A prince?" That was Xu Jiaqi''s first guess on this man''s identity.


    "Hmm? A prince? Is that who you think I am?"


    "Kneel down." The guard beside him ordered, and released his strong killing intent towards the girl.


    However, instead of cowering down, the girl tilted her head and did not look bothered at all. With fearless eyes beaming with innocence, Xu Jiaqi got closer to the fancy man and looked upwards towards him.


    The act had started.. She had to tread carefully, so she decided to pick up the role of a little girl who you can''t help but feel sorry for.

 Chapter 109 - 3.5

    "...Are you not one?" Xu Jiaqi questioned, troubled at the current situation. She didn''t remember this man because he was behind a veil last time she encountered him, but he recognized her very easily. Someone who captured his interest.


    "You weren''t wrong. You can indeed consider me a prince.. My name is Xie Yongrui. Little kitten, I have taken a fancy on you, do you want to come home with me?" Xie Yongrui introduced himself with a smile that Xu Jiaqi had a hard time reading.


    But with her skills, she was able to know one thing.


    This man did not treat her as a person, but rather just an object of interest. She was being treated as not a human being, but something that this man wanted to pick up on a whim.


    It irked her immensely, but she restrained herself before making any foolish moves.


    "I''m sorry but- I will have to refuse. I''m not someone who can bear your attention." Xu Jiaqi refused without batting an eye, as she felt uncomfortable at the sudden invitation. "First of all, we have never met. I don''t think I have done anything that deserves your gaze.. Do you not see what kind of state I am in right now? Go look for a better pet elsewhere. I don''t dare receive your grace."


    "Why do I have to look for another when the one I am interested in is you? If I tell you that we have met before, then what would you say in return?" Xie Yongrui questioned.


    "...It must have been a mistake. I don''t recognize you in the slightest."


    Xu Jiaqi started to become suspicious, so she asked the System to run a scan on who on Earth this dazzling stranger was.


    "I am... the person whose conversation you intruded yesterday. Your memories, have they been wiped out over the course of such a short time?" Xie Yongrui asked.


    At the same time, the System responded with a report on who exactly Xie Yongrui was.


    He was, in short, a hidden prince. Someone who wasn''t recognized for his imperial bloodline. The only one left from the Xie imperial lineage, a dangerous person that she absolutely couldn''t get involved with right now.


    To begin with, how do you think a remnant from the past lineage could survive now that the imperial legacy had been swapped? The  survivor had to be an extremely tenacious and scary person, to be able to escape the clutches of doom like that.


    "Ah!" Xu Jiaqi exclaimed, finally realizing what was going on. That''s right. She thought that since they didn''t chase after her anymore, it was safe to progress without minding yesterday''s incident. She didn''t except for him to take notice of her and even want to take her in.


    To think that her luck was this trash! She knew she didn''t have the best luck, but must it be this bad? Who gave it to her? What bad karmic relationship did she possess?!


    "Did you recall our fateful encounter, little kitten?"


    "First of all, stop calling me little kitten! It sends shivers down by back. Second, please refrain from mentioning that case any longer.. It was a mistake on my part. If you want me to compensate for it.. Well, I can''t do much, I don''t have anything good to offer you. But I didn''t catch a single word of what you guys were discussing anyway, so you shouldn''t need to chase me down like this!"


    "Oh? It seems like you are sorely mistaken. I am not interested in you because I fear that you overheard our conversation.. If you were truly a spy, then your head wouldn''t be intact right now. My guards would''ve turned you to a little angel by now." Xie Yongrui chuckled.


    "Not the information.. Then, what exactly do you find in me that piques your mind?"


    "..Many things. Some straightforward, and some unexplainable. Just call it a human''s instinctual call."


    Xu Jiaqi felt like the man was bad news. She took the chance to read the System''s report inside her head, and still couldn''t figure out exactly why he planned to take her in. According to the rough details the System gave her, this man didn''t seem to possess a previous record of taking in a person out of a whim.


    Those who were taken in by him were talented individuals that he managed to discover and wanted to add into his own power. As for her, she just displayed a bit of strength and craftiness yesterday, ti wasn''t anything worthy of receiving his invite to the team protecting him, so exactly what... is he thinking about?


    "Then? What is your answer? I have little patience. It is better for you to follow me anyway, right? You look like you could die any second now. A strong gust of wind will certainly be enough to take you out at this point, am I wrong?"


    "You are terribly wrong, my good sir. I am able to-" Xu Jiaqi was about to rebuke the other party, but her stomach suddenly rang out. It cried out of hunger, letting out a rather loud sound. She was famished. All that she had were two pieces of bread! How could she not be hungry?


    "...See? If you come with me, then I will assure you that your life complications will be swiftly taken care of. You just need to sit and act as you must. Isn''t it a good deal?"


    "There''s nothing in this world that isn''t out there to get you. Your offer sounds too good, it makes me think that you are a scammer. Dearest prince, I believe that we shouldn''t keep this farce going for any longer. Please, just tell me why you are trying so hard to pester me like this. Is there anything that I can help you with? If it''s between my reach, then I shall.. complete your requests." Xu Jiaqi clasped her hands, trying to suck up to him to not get in any trouble.


    Xu Jiaqi: At least let me keep my lifee~ I don''t want my life to be cut short without achieving anything~


    Responding to Xu Jiaqi''s antics, the prince just broke into a fit of laughter and pointed at Xu Jiaqi after regaining his calm back.


    "I just wondered why I felt like you were a pleasing surprise to encounter. To satiate my curiosity, I want to look at you closer. Is that not enough of a reason? Let''s see... The way you talk is way too refined for a kid hailing from the slums. It''s too polite, and if you didn''t slip crude words here and there, I would''ve thought that you were taught using noble means of education."


    To be honest, Xie Yongrui truly felt like something within him changed. It all began with a spark passed onto him by the little girl in front of him. It wasn''t love at first sight, that would be too disgusting even for someone of his caliber. It was more like.. His soul was being tugged, and his mind were led to a distant memory all of a sudden.


    As Xie Yongrui was raving about his discovery, Xu Jiaqi was having a hard time on how she should escape this predicament.


    ''..Shit.'' Xu Jiaqi forgot. In a setting like this, the disparity between the knowledge possessed by a high ranking aristocrat and those below that status will be much more significantly larger than the disparity in her previous worlds. The education provided to people were lacking, but the nobles naturally were taught with the highest quality.


    They also loved to be pretentious, so you best bet that they put brainless new rules to the fray, things that they wouldn''t even use in a lifetime. Well, it was basically the same with every language, there is bound to be some parts that don''t make sense, but you are still made to learn about it!


    Her automatic way of speech must have came on from her past as a successful entrepreneur and a literal Ezra Lancaster who was extremely polite 75% of the time.


    "Ah... Hahah. Surely you jest. How can I be compared to the likes of nobles..." Xu Jiaqi shrugged awkwardly. In her mind, she had already committed the mistake of not  talking like how a commoner should, so it would be no use to try and cover it up now. She continued to talk the way she was comfortable with.


    "Hmm.. Is that so? Or perhaps.. You are hiding a secret that will shock me to the core... I''ve been looking for stimulations, you see? The world seems so dry nowadays, do you think you can make a change happen to that dynamic?"


    "That.. Ah, whatever! Alright, alright, I will accept your offer. Please give me food, first of all." Xu Jiaqi gave up. If this man keeps insisting, then there was nothing else she could do. Although she aimed for a much bigger goal than being someone else''s pet, hugging this person''s golden thigh didn''t seem too bad for the beginning. She should just consider it a stroke of luck.


    After all, there is nothing you could do on an empty stomach!

 Chapter 110 - 3.6

    A smile bloomed on Xie Yongrui''s face. He clapped his hands in happiness. "That''s how you should''ve answered right from the start. Yue, Yao, take this girl with us, we are going back to the estate."


    "Understood, milord." The two guards, named Yue and Yao, were twins that got picked by Xie Yongrui at the same time. They were an excellent pair who never lost their loyalty towards their master no matter what stood in their ways. Since before they even became proper guards, they were severely indebted to the man.


    If Xie Yongrui wanted to walk into a pit of fire, then they would gladly jump into the pit first to test out the heat. Their devotion was that severe.


    How could that happen? Were they all fed poison that made them obey Xie Yongrui unconditionally? Blackmail, curses, or any other plausible explanations?


    Naturally, it was all because Xie Yongrui was just that competent of a person.


    Just looking from the data System sent, which couldn''t have been unbiased, you get a glimpse into what it''s like to be the most perfect human being to ever exist. There was only one drawback that you could find after extensive research conducted by no one else but the System.


    His lineage was pristine, his looks were as if it was crafted by God himself, his power akin to no one under the same sky as him. Xie Yongrui, the last living family member of the Xie imperial lineage.


    The empire was currently being run by the Huo family. Huo Jingshen was the one sitting on the throne. Naturally, for an empire to change dynasties, it couldn''t be as simple as handing the throne to another bloodline.


    So, what did Huo Jingshen do in order to gain the throne?


    It was simple. According to the information that the System had acquired for her, Huo Jingshen was formerly the prime minister of Xie Yongrui''s father, whose name was Xie Yonghai.


    To say that Xie Yonghai was a virtuous ruler, it wouldn''t be exactly correct. Xie Yonghai wasn''t a tyrant, and he wasn''t a demon who terrorized the Empire. However, there was one flaw that he had, constantly putting him at a disadvantage.


    His lazy personality.


    In his era, he treated Huo Jingshen as someone who was lower than him, even though the prime minister was actually the one who handled the most important and troublesome matters. Xie Yonghai was not someone who is keen on war, so he left the arsenal management with the Great General. His eyes were bad, and he was lazy to look at the documents all day long, so he split his work with the Prime Minister, even going so far as to lend him the imperial seal when it was needed.


    One word. Carefree. Xie Yonghai was too carefree, but he desired too much from his people. He wanted to be able to sit on the Emperor''s seat without having to do much, leaving everything to his subordinates after making sure that they were kept by tight reins that prevented them from rebelling.


    For example, hurting or keeping captive of his vassals'' loved ones. Threatening them to submission.


    Such a ruler, it was obvious that he was bound to get dethroned by a rebellion sooner or later. Since Xie Yonghai wasn''t stern and preferred to ride out his fate casually, he was swept under the rug when Huo Jingshen gathered up allies to take over the Empire''s control.


    In this sense, it might''ve been a good thing that the Empire was taken over.


    However, it also had to be noted that Huo Jingshen did not only instruct for Xie Yonghai to be executed, but also ordered the killings of every single Xie family member. He didn''t just issue a baseless order, but made sure to exploit constructed evidence to properly convict the Emperor.


    That was how the Xie dynasty ended and got swapped with Emperor Huo''s reign.


    The aforementioned kill list included Xie Yongrui, of course.


    But, now that Xu Jiaqi was seeing the man in person, he didn''t look dead, and was still breathing.


    What happened to the order that was issued? The System was only able to pry so much before his intel routes were blocked. This meant that what Xie Yongrui did must have been quite secretive, since there were only brainless speculations roaming about. No one knew which prediction was real, but one thing was for sure.


    For Xie Yongrui to escape unscathed and being able to roam around freely like this, there must be a special reason.


    It intrigued Xu Jiaqi. She raised her head as she watched the man that had just ordered for her to be taken into his residence walk away. From behind, his broad back faded into a distance, and she was taken by the two guards through a separate path.


    Her eyes were covered with a black silk cloth, and she was warned to not dare do anything funny.


    ''..System, you know what to do. I don''t think that they are going to try anything stupid, but just in case...'' Xu Jiaqi instructed, to which the System replied enthusiastically.


    She was then carried in a bridal carry by the female guard, Yue after asking for permission. They were going in an absurd speed, so it was no wonder that when Xu Jiaqi was released a few minutes later, she felt like her head was spinning around and that it was impossible to stay up straight.


    Her silk cloth was untied, and she was led to her private quarters.


    Bling bling! Everything was dazzling. She was brought to her room, which was spacious and well decorated.


    Almost as if it was too good to be true. Did it make sense for someone to be this generous without expecting something in return?


    [Host, let''s get away from his clutches! If we tie ourselves with this kind of guy, we would never be able to run!] The System reviewed the content that it had obtained after researching and was not amused. The more he dug in, the more he was unable to find anything.


    The man was too clean. And the cleaner he was, the more the System was unwilling to believe in his credibility. How can someone not have a single dirt plastered on him. Could it be, the Duke sealed off the fates of whoever dared to cross path with him.


    ''Calm down. I need to play it safe first to observe what kind of person I am exactly up against. I can''t run either.. I might''ve gotten myself into a large death trap, but what can I do about it now? We just have to face it, System. Let''s be cautious.'' Xu Jiaqi communicated as she eyed her surroundings.


    Xie Yongrui wasn''t lying when he said that he was going to treat Xu Jiaqi well. He gave her a glorious living quarters that was positioned in the main area. There were servants sent to her. It was unknown whether their jobs were just to serve her, or to keep tabs at her, but they were very impeccable at their job, not allowing even the smallest of mistakes to be seen. Almost like a robot that was programmed to do so.


    Xu Jiaqi didn''t lower her hostility, however. Contrary to that, she showed wariness towards every single thing in the room. After all, if she relaxed too much, it might give Xie Yongrui the wrong idea.


    Xie Yongrui''s idea of taking a fancy on her seemed extremely out of the blue, but Xu Jiaqi knew that her action of dropping down from the ceiling was abnormal as well. The only thing that could come to mind when Xie Yongrui said that he was going to take her in was because of this attitude she showed.


    He clearly sought something different from the norm. Then, she should just play along with his tastes! At least for now, she had to maintain the current living standards she was given. In the future, she would finally have time to branch out after she manages to recuperate.


    Until then, she had to bid her time and plan out her moves.


    ''I swear to God, if the next world is also going to have a similar start, if not worse... I''m going to stay in the System space forever!'' Xu Jiaqi complained jokingly.


    The System pouted, mumbling that he couldn''t do anything about it unless he received a major upgrade and her authority rises along with the missions. Then, he could finally do power abuse! He could even flex his achievements to another System!


    However, the Host was being awfully negative and optimistic at the same time. A clashing bundle.


    ''I''m not someone who likes to play a damsel in distress. I would rather be given the role of a cruel, evil villain that is infamous for being a mad dog. Wouldn''t that be funnier?'' Xu Jiaqi thought and proclaimed inside her heart.


    It would be much more interesting than having to play a meek character, when her own self is clearly far from that.


    [Host, your tastes are.. peculiar, to say the least.]


    ''How many years have you stuck with me, living rent free inside my head? It''s time for you to be accustomed to my tastes, no?''


    [Um... I''m not sure if you didn''t know yet, but I actually can''t pry into your head that well.] The System spoke.


    Xu Jiaqi''s ears immediately perked up at his words.

 Chapter 111 - 3.7

    ''..What? I thought that you''ve seen my memories. You used terms that came from my first life when you chatted with me. Wasn''t that because you peeked into my experiences?'' Xu Jiaqi caught onto something weird and questioned the System.


    [Well.. That is true. I was able to see those parts, but I''ve always felt like there is a channel inside Host''s head that I can''t break open, you know? This part.. might be related to your goal, Host. I don''t know for sure, but I have a strong inkling that is correct. But it shouldn''t be opened now.. lest you get injured terribly.] The System was careful with the words he chose to use, because he was afraid that a huge repercussion would come to bite him.


    If it did it come, it would be so severe that perhaps his authority as a System would be taken away altogether.


    ''A locked channel inside my head.. that I can''t open yet. Interesting.'' Xu Jiaqi thought. This might be a major clue to solving her puzzle! ''What do you think I have to do to obtain the qualifications to open the sealed channel?'' She asked as she lazed around, hugging her soft pillow.


    [I.. am not sure. Heheh. Please ask me again in the future, once the both of us gains more power.] The System answered goofily.


    ''Hmp. Okay.'' Xu Jiaqi quickly relented. However, knowing that there was already a hint inside herself made her feel better. Before, she thought that she would have to blindly search, but now that there was a trace detected by the System... it was a lucky find!


    As she was rejoicing, there was a knock on her door, followed by a shadow appearing behind the not-so-opaque screen.


    "Miss Xu.. The lord calls for your presence. Please follow me to where he is." A maid gently notified from behind the door, attracting Xu Jiaqi''s attention.


    Xu Jiaqi tilted her head as she sat up straight, wondering what the man wanted from her. Surely, he wasn''t going to ''play'' with her?


    However, she was in the submissive position for now, and her fate depended on this man named Xie Yongrui. She had briefed about the man''s information with the System and found no particular red flags, but the System was only able to scrape the surface of this man''s identity.


    The reports couldn''t be trusted, she had to see it for herself. From the reports, he seemed like a decent guy, but he should be a hidden dragon judging from his complicated background.


    "Understood. I will come out in a few moments, please spare me some time..." Xu Jiaqi answered, to which the maid gave an affirmative answer to.


    After tidying up her appearance, making sure that she would look as presentable as possible, she stood in front of the door and took a deep breath before opening it. Behind the door, she recognized the familiar face of one of the servants assigned to her.


    "Let''s go. Did the lord tell you why I was called?" Xu Jiaqi asked as she began to walk towards Xie Yongrui''s living quarters, which was actually right next to hers.


    "The lord did not relay the details. He simply relayed a message asking for Miss Xu to visit him through his aide." The maid replied courteously.


    "Hmm... I see. Then, shall we go?" Xu Jiaqi smiled. The maid simply nodded, following Xu Jiaqi''s steps as she proceeded to go and meet this new acquaintance of hers.


    Once she reached the lord''s whereabouts, the maid did not dare enter the private quarters directly and let Xu Jiaqi go in by herself. From there, she was led by another guard who notified her arrival and led her to the door. The guard left right after that, leaving her alone.


    "Xu Jiaqi.. has arrived and is here to heed your call." She announced with a bit of hesitance in her tone.


    "Come in." Within seconds, Xie Yongrui''s familiar voice rang out, inviting her to go inside.


    "..This one greets you, my lord." Xu Jiaqi initiated a graceful curtsy. After her appearance was fixed up by the countless services from the skillful maids, she emanated a bright glow. Although her body was still on the thin side, she was starting to improve and be healthier.


    "Oh? So the little kitten does know how to display manners. Why did I not know of this before?" Xie Yongrui sneered as he beckoned for the girl to come closer. He was pleased by the girl''s reformed look, as he made sure to tell his people to treat her with only the best.


    Right. It was only right that the kitten he picked up receives great things. Else, he would be embarrassed. What if people knew that the one he kept looked sickly and close to death''s door?


    Xu Jiaqi made slow and silent steps to where Xie Yongrui was sitting down at.


    Then, the man suddenly stretched his arm upwards and pulled her down. Xu Jiaqi, being surprised, widened her eyes and braced for the impact.


    ''As expected, this man is-'' She was prepared to curse him out for being shameless, disgusting, and other inappropriate characteristics, but to her surprise, the next thing that happened was nothing but a head pat.


    Yes, a head pat. Xie Yongrui''s hand landed itself on Xu Jiaqi''s hair, ruffling it up as he stared at her with scrutinizing eyes, making her want to shift her gaze away.


    Of course, Xu Jiaqi didn''t want to be a coward, and thought to establish as much dignity as possible. "W-what are you looking at?" She pursed her lips, feeling uncomfortable at the sudden change of position.


    Granted, the man made sure that she would land rather gently, and that all the brunt of the sudden impact was absorbed by no one else but him. His build was rather large knowing that he just turned into an adult months ago according to the data.. Compared to him, Xu Jiaqi was a lot smaller, so she was perfectly encircled by the man with no chances to escape.

 Chapter 112 - 3.8

    Their eyes interlocked with each other. No one was willing to lose. They kept staring, and staring, until Xie Yongrui lifted the girl up and made sure that she sat properly. It seemed like he had detected Xu Jiaqi''s expressions and deduced that she was not liking the position, so he made adjustments.


    "You''re not going to turn away? That''s new." Xie Yongrui chuckled. He was someone who was perfectly aware of his charms and blessed looks, so it wasn''t anything surprising to him when people who came near him began to fluster up. It boosted his confidence. He could even be categorized as a narcissist, albeit having all the qualifications to act as such.


    "Why should I turn away? I did nothing wrong, and it was you that started all of this." Xu Jiaqi replied, wanting to show a feisty character to match Xie Yongrui''s actions. She contained her emotions until not a single trace of blushing was present on her face.


    Xie Yongrui did not take offense to what Xu Jiaqi said, but instead broke into a fit of laughter.


    "You.. What it is about you that''s so special? It''s so strange.. You almost have a mystical effect surrounding you. Something I can''t bring myself to describe. Almost like.." Xie Yongrui was about to continue his speech, but he stopped himself. However, his hand didn''t stop. He continued to caress Xu Jiaqi''s hair, enjoying it greatly.


    Xie Yongrui had no restraints as he hugged the young girl that was in his embrace, shocked at the situation unfolding right now. However, he didn''t pay attention to her reaction.


    All that he knew was that there was a huge sense of longing accompanied by sadness brewing inside his heart, making it hard for him to breathe. Hugging her calmed down the turbulent emotions by a lot, so he chose to forsake everything else to relish in the current moment, where the girl was in his arm''s reach.


    What on Earth was so special about this girl, that he seemed to never want to be separated from her?


    With a curious mindset, he conducted experiments, doting over her in ways that he theorized could make him realize exactly what was going on. But by the time of their bonding session, he was still unable to decipher anything, and was left with more questions than he started.


    However, the girl''s presence was comforting. It was a like a warm spring breeze that hit him out of nowhere. It was his first time feeling like this. He, who had been forced to grow up and mature much earlier than anybody from his peers due to his heartwrenching background.


    Witnessing his entire family be murdered in front of his eyes while he was hidden away by an attendant when he was four years old was only one of his grievances. Although he didn''t love his family members, those people were the ones who he had seen while he grew up. People who he was taught to respect, as they were members of the family with the highest social standing in the Empire.


    He was not the eldest child, he had a lot of siblings. Even before he was able to talk, his mother would constantly whisper for him to not do anything rash, and just stay out of the fight for the throne. His mother was not the Empress, and was just a trivial mistress who the Emperor kept due to his debauchery.


    The Emperor, the palace''s harem members including his mother, his siblings, and many officials were gathered in the throne room. There, they were slaughtered one by one. Their heads detached from their necks and rolled down the floor, spurting blood everywhere. Out of all of them, he was the only one who managed to survive.


    The incident didn''t scar him, but it was definitely one of the incidents that made him steel his heart to the point of no return. He thought that he would no longer have the chance to face others without wearing the mask that he had been putting for all these years to get to where he was.


    But why was it that.. this girl seemed to make his heart shake so much? Why was she able to make him want to take his mask off and show her his true self? This girl who he had only seen for mere seconds when they first met in an unorthodox way, to the point where he wanted to chase after her and take her home without much thought.


    This girl who was now being treated by no one else but him, who was renowned for being cold and unfeeling.


    Xu Jiaqi, on the other hand, was having heart palpitations for a completely separate reason.


    ''System? Are you there? This man, isn''t he...'' Xu Jiaqi was slightly frustrated. Her heart itched. She was baffled, at a loss of words.


    If there was one thing that she learned after spending a lot of time with her man in the previous world, Zenith Ahgren.. It would be his distinctive scent.


    Unlike other people, he always carried a fresh bamboo scent that was special to only him. A bit minty, and relieving to the nose. She always liked burying herself in his embrace as they hugged, because the scent calmed her down whenever she was feeling pressured or stressed when she waited for her plans to revolve.


    This same bamboo scent, which she had been smelling for years, was now present on the man before her. It was not a common bamboo scent. Rather, it had a kick to it that made her recognize the scent wherever she went. It was so deeply ingrained in her mind after being exposed to it for so long.


    Xie Yongrui. This man had the same scent.


    ''System?! Hurry and come out! It couldn''t be, right? It.. This, everything, it doesn''t make any sense! System!'' With each passing second, she became even more distressed.


    Could she be mistaken? The scent was exactly the same. She didn''t doubt this. Their appearances were both appealing to the eyes, but completely different from one another. If Zenith embodied a puppy who was at her beck and call, Xie Yongrui was akin to a clever and cunning fox who eyed his prey with a conniving smile.


    Contrary to the two''s confused states, the System was extremely calm as he spectated everything from above.

 Chapter 113 - 3.9

    The System analyzed everything from the separated space he had isolated himself into. The only reason for this disappearance: The man Xu Jiaqi was currently being hugged by.


    He did not say anything to the Host, and kept his silence even as his Host was calling for him asking for an explanation. His temperament was cold as ice, his eyes sweeping through the scene. Administering his devices, he waited for a few seconds.


    Beep!


    A connection was formed, between him and the Main System''s consciousness.


    [..This is System Origin Zero.. There has been a dissonance in the Agent''s soul.]


    [Requesting a partial memory wipe out after the segment. Requesting authority usage and protection. Enforcing maximum surveillance.] The System, watching this scene unfold before him, communicated with the main branch secretly. [A breach has begun. The culprit... is that lunatic. I will contain it before it gets out of hand. Report over.]


    After doing so, he ended the connection and got out of the System space. The Host didn''t need to know about any of these. It was too early for her to know, and it would bring her nothing but harm if she were to learn of the information. It could trigger her condition and send her to the afterlife.


    He was very clear on what his mission was. Above all, his Host''s safety had to be protected. Even if it meant that a world was going to falter, it could still be considered a light cost.


    He sighed. He had to act appropriately and answer Xu Jiaqi with caution. There was no room for a mistake to be made.


    [Host! Host, are you alright?] He exclaimed innocently, faking his worry.


    ''..You''re finally here! Tell me, this man.. Why is he so similar with Zenith? This must be a mistake, right? I thought you previously said that the chances of the same soul being a denizen of my mission''s world is close to none! Added to Zenith''s strangeness.. Just who on Earth is Zenith? Why can he tail us down like this?''


    Xu Jiaqi, who was still being held by Xie Yongrui, was frantic as she demanded an answer from her partner System.


    [Host, it''s a complicated matter. Please understand, I am not able to tell you anything right now. It will also be detrimental if you learned of it right now.] The System replied with seriousness.


    ''Still- If I have to meet this guy''s soul in every single world I jump into, then...''


    [Please be assured. This will be the last time that this soul will encounter you this way. I shall perform precautions for the next time we jump into a world. Please bear with it until this mission world''s completion, then Host will be able to take a rest and I will apply further restrictions as we go.]


    The System was treading on a thin line. On one side, he couldn''t possibly defy the being that was chasing Xu Jiaqi down. On the other side, if he continuously let the being follow Xu Jiaqi and get near her, then it would be the same as letting his agent die slowly.


    ''...The last time.. Even if you say so, it sounds a bit..'' Truth be told, she wasn''t at all angered by the matter of the soul following her.


    In fact, the fact that there was a possibility that Zenith''s soul floated to her side, and that the System''s remarks indirectly confirmed it, made her slightly happy and relieved. It was because the last time she saw Zenith, it was when he protected her and exerted a large amount of power.


    After that, the System hurriedly cut her ties with the world and helped her escape to the space. She never learned of the outcome after she was freed from that world.


    What happened to Zenith''s soul after that? She didn''t persistently ask about it to the System, but deep down, she did feel worried.


    [Host. I.. would advise you to not think too much about this train of events if you don''t want to get hurt. Please.. at least, if you want to pursue this matter further, you must wait until you have completed at least five worlds. I will guide you to that checkpoint. Once you reach it, I will determine if you are suitable enough to be relayed parts of the truth.] The System tried to dodge the topic as much as possible, but Xu Jiaqi wouldn''t budge.


    This was her first time feeling so disturbed in terms of her emotions, especially concerning someone of the opposite gender. She didn''t know why, but she just felt an overwhelming amount of worry for the other party''s soul.


    No. Perhaps, she did know why. The relation with her dreams being her forgotten pieces of memories.. It would mean that the soul inhabiting Zenith and Xie Yongrui was someone significant in her past. For him to want to chase her down to the point of following her in crossing dimensional rifts.


    Her lingering sensations... it must have propelled her to feel this way when his soul encountered her.


    She had to wait. Five worlds. That was what the System offered. Although it wasn''t a concrete promise, it was a much more defined goal than a blind search.


    The bamboo scent that was a trademark of his. She kept wondering what her relation was to him, but there was nobody to explain for her.


    Basking in her conflicting thoughts, she gave in to Xie Yongrui''s clutches. She was quite burdened by the approach at the start, but as she thought about it, she began to feel like Zenith was there right by her side just like any other day she spent as Ariel. Her faithful knight who never lost his passion until the very end.


    Her brows creased as she crumpled Xie Yongrui''s robes in her fists, wanting to express her grievance.


    They stayed in the same position, with Xie Yongrui comforting Xu Jiaqi in an array of kind gestures. Minutes passed, until Xie Yongrui finally loosened his grip and took a deeper look into Xu Jiaqi.


    His sharp eyes scanned her with great detail, but he was still unable to decipher the reason he felt so confused towards her.

 Chapter 114 - 3.10

    Since Xu Jiaqi was released, she took advantage of the lord''s trance to move backwards. Although the hug also gave her comfort, it did suffocate her for a few moments. Not to mention, it made her unsure of her own stability. She deemed that it was dangerous for her to keep intertwining with this familiar soul.


    It was as if the soul could suck her into a pool of ecstasy, spoiling her to no end. What gave it such a magnetic effect that she couldn''t resist? Like Xie Yongrui, she too tried to pry into the truth behind the two men she encountered.


    "My lord.. Are you satisfied?" Xu Jiaqi questioned, looking at him with endearing eyes.


    "..No. Hng. How can I be satisfied? I can''t seem to get enough of you... Say, did you place a curse on me? Did you feed me with a misleading potion? How come you are able to stir my feelings this hard? Who exactly are you, and where did you pop up from?" Xie Yongrui spoke in a coy tone, pinching the tip of Xu Jiaqi''s nose as he scolded her playfully.


    "I did no such thing! In fact, I could say the same about the lord. You.. haven''t told me who you are." Although Xu Jiaqi had already roughly learned about his identity from the System, she still asked for extra clarity.


    "..Why don''t you start first? I''m not that interesting of a figure, I think that your story would be a lot more appealing to hear. Come, sit here. My attendant brewed some tea, let''s drink it together and have a cozy chat."


    Xu Jiaqi hesitated for a few seconds, but quickly got up and sat on the opposite of Xie Yongrui. She took the initiative to pour hot tea from the pot for the two of them. A fine chamomile scent wafted through the room. The fragrance instantly calmed down Xu Jiaqi''s nerves for a split second.


    Amazement shot through her eyes at the liquid''s potency, and the surprise was caught by Xie Yongrui, who was actively observing her. "You are looking at it so passionately. I guess anybody would be surprised with the tea we serve here. It''s a lot more special than the ones you can find outside the Xian Ruo county. Be sure to indulge in the experience, since it''ll be your first."


    Xie Yongrui''s movement could only be described with one word. Graceful. Every move he made was condensed with eloquence and relaxation. Calm and controlled.


    Right. In the data System sent her, the Xian Ruo County''s lord is supposed to be this way. Although he sometimes showed eccentric tendencies, he acted sensibly and never let external factors get to his head when he made judgements.


    This temperament and intelligence was what brought him to the seat he was in right now. It was what made Xian Ruo county be able to flourish.


    Xu Jiaqi snuck some glances towards the man. She sipped the hot liquid carefully so her tongue wouldn''t be burnt. As the tea slipped down her throat, she let out a long breath. It seemed to take all of her stress away.


    "Chamomile.. right? I adore it, the calming effects are amazing." Xu Jiaqi smiled as she found herself sipping more liquid.


    "..I''m surprised that you are knowledgeable about the tea..? Right, this is a special brew of chamomile tea that we managed to produce. It became a renowned product from the Xian Ruo county, but we only sell them to customers who offer high prices. It''s a valuable item. Don''t you think I''m being generous by letting you drink? You''re lucky!" Boasting, Xie Yongrui flipped his hair back to show off.


    "You were planning to have me drink it from the start, right? If not, there wouldn''t be two cups. Unless you planned to invite somebody else.. If that was the case, you wouldn''t have let me drink from this cup, though."


    "So you do have quick wits! Since I took you in on my own accord and you accepted, you are one of my people now. As the lord.. I will welcome you to the Xian Ruo county. It must be your first time here, right? Now that we already have the tea prepared.. It''s time for you to tell me about yourself. I want to know you more.. Know the person who dared to cause ripples in my mind. You should be honored, to be honest."


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyes narrowed. There wasn''t much preparation to be done, and she didn''t feel a need to fabricate her story. Her true identity was really just a pitiful child who was betrayed by the world.


    "..My name is Xu Jiaqi, and my nickname is Qiqi. I.. was born to a mother who worked in the night district, and an unknown father. He was my mother''s customer. I was unwanted by her, so I got thrown into some displeasing servants.. Since my mother didn''t show me any care, I ended up being discarded to the streets. Then.. I got to meet you when I was trying to escape the slum I was in, and now I''m here, somehow? That''s basically my whole life summed up into a short passage. I don''t know what you were expecting to hear, but I don''t have any special things to say, sorry not sorry." Xu Jiaqi huffed as she finished her story.


    Xie Yongrui stilled for a few seconds. He had expected a depressing story, but this girl really spent all her life in suffering and got mistreated in all directions.


    "They dared to do what? Who is your mother and these servants you speak of?!" Xie Yongrui actually got a bit heated as he hammered his fist onto the table, making it shake.


    [Detecting character deviation. Detecting balance levels. Monitoring world condition.] The System spoke.


    [..The balance has crumbled. The character''s consciousness is being affected by the target''s intrusion. Please heighten the security around the soul.] The System ended up having to make a second report of the highest danger category.


    A catastrophe would befall them if they weren''t careful enough!


    System: Why do I have to deal with this troublesome couple.. Who put me in this position? Then again, I was built specifically for.. Hmp!


    Xu Jiaqi: Huh? What was that? System-chan, what are you mumbling about? You keep dozing off, I will fire you if you keep this up!


    System: Nothing! There was nothing that came out of my mouth! My dearest Host, please enjoy your sweet moments... while it still lasts.. Heheh.

 Chapter 115 - 3.11

    Xu Jiaqi blinked in surprise, not expecting Xie Yongrui to have this big of a reaction. Her eyes grew fonder. She placed her cup of tea down. A tense aura was present in the room, and Xie Yongrui''s anger seemed to have emitted a strong presence that overpowered her current fragile body.


    She bit her lips, displeased with her weakened state.


    ''System, I want to check one thing. I have been feeling.. a good amount of energy, but it''s very fleeting. Is magic possible in this world?''


    [It is possible, Host. Though, I must say that this Xie Yongrui is a different case from the others. The reason you feel magic from him is not because everybody has magic, but rather because he is someone who obtained enlightenment.. Or something akin to that. It might be related to his soul''s quality as well. In any case, magic is technically possible, but you wouldn''t be able to do the feats you did as Ariel before.]


    ''..I see. Then, could I use the swords gifted by the System?''


    [As long as not a lot of people see the magic happen, you are free to use it. I will cover this kind of thing easily.]


    ''Fantastic. Then.. It''s time to do a little bargaining.'' Xu Jiaqi internally sighed as she faced Xie Yongrui with a pare of unwavering eyes.


    "Calm down, my lord. It''s nothing major. Besides, haven''t you brought a new light to my life? I am satisfied with just that, you don''t need to take any unnecessary actions. It will just burden you.. And I don''t really like having someone else take revenge for me, you see?" Xu Jiaqi pacified the other with a light tone.


    The original had left no message to take revenge, but she still wanted retribution to come towards Xu Yan''s life in one way or another. The woman had selfishly thrown away the innocent child who had no fault in the tragedy that was dropped on her. Indeed, the one who actually committed the worst offences here would be Xu Jiaqi''s birth father, whose identity was still unknown.


    However, Xu Yan also didn''t have the sense to take care of the child that she had produced, a life she brought out to the world after carrying the baby for nine months. Her conditions were not at all great, and living with Xu Jiaqi would be tedious, but who said that the baby wanted to come out of her womb in the first place?


    The pitiful Xu Jiaqi had no choice in her life.


    There was no sense of responsibility inside Xu Yan''s head. Although she could faintly sympathize with what Xu Yan had gone through.. Ultimately, everything that happened was still her fault. She, who had hoped too much, ended up getting her heart risen up to impossible heights, only for it to drop down full speed and injuring her in the process.


    She was also someone to blame. Xu Jiaqi, thinking about this, began to prepare for plans to visit Xu Yan in the near future. If there was someone who could help her with finding out who this anonymous father was, it would be Xu Yan. The one who had regularly met up with her father before he disappeared.


    "..I see. I suppose that makes sense. I will leave your matters to yourself, then." Xie Yongrui''s sudden anger spike receded.


    "That''s right, my lord. Rather than my puny background, I am rather curious about you. A gallant figure like you, surely your childhood must have been very colorful."


    "Wouldn''t hearing my story just make the atmosphere gloomier, kitten? I reckon you don''t know anything about my past, but.. I will just tell you that it''s not sunshine and rainbows." Xie Yongrui''s gaze hardened as he spoke.


    Indeed, there were no such thing like sunshine or rainbows in his life. The pitiful child.


    "I am aware, lord. I''m not that naive to think that someone like you came out of a happy family. Colorful.. doesn''t have to be positive. Any situation could be colorful. Whether it is colorful because of happiness, tragedies, or whatsoever." Xu Jiaqi giggled.


    "Is that supposed to be an insult?" Xie Yongrui raised a brow as he snorted.


    "If you think of it as an insult, then I can''t do much to prevent you from doing that. But to me.. I''m just trying to convey how I admire you in a way." Xu Jiaqi spoke, shining rays of honesty out of her eyes.


    "Hahah! Clever evasion. I hope that you truly think that way." Xie Yongrui downed his cup of tea before displaying a melancholic smile. "Let''s see.. Ah, it''s been a long time since I tried to recall what happened in the past. I usually don''t even try to associate my current self with those times."


    Xie Yongrui took a deep breath in before starting to tell his side of the story. The life he had went through. Truthfully, it couldn''t be expressed into mere words. The amount of danger he was forced to pass through. The uncertainty that always glazed his path. He ended up overcoming all of that, but the steps he had to take.. none of them weren''t risky.


    If he was just a bit less lucky, Xie Yongrui wouldn''t have existed to sit before her right now.


    "Everyone was my enemy. No one stood by my side, because they didn''t regard me as a potential winner in life. As an imperial family member, people are always going to categorize you into who they can use, and who they can''t. Your value will constantly be counted since birth. How strong, clever, or beautiful you are. Your value is tallied into how usable you could be.. and what you possess in order to attract your followers'' attention and respect.


    "As someone who didn''t come from the noblest birth, and wasn''t loved by the Emperor, I was naturally not given any sort of preferential treatment. I was treated like a bystander, and there was nothing I could do about it."


    Xie Yongrui''s tone became colder and colder as he continued.

 Chapter 116 - 3.12

    "I couldn''t blame them for doing so. Counting my value at that time, investing in me was surely a dumb choice. One that wouldn''t have yielded them anything. The only reason I am here right now... Is because my family got wiped out, just like that."


    "When the time came for retribution to strike all of them, I somehow became the only one that managed to survive out of this damned bloodline. Isn''t it funny? The ones that rose to the top the most, garnered the highest amount of power, they were the ones who got killed first. As for me.. I was someone insignificant, and that was exactly what made me able to survive. Because by the time they realized that there was a prince they missed, I was already out of the castle and gotten to temporary safety."


    Xie Yongrui subtly laughed.


    "I had to live on my own, take care of everything by myself. I had to go into hiding, and never exposed myself to any sort of contact with other people. I didn''t trust anybody. No one, no matter how benevolent they are, could provide me with absolute certainty that they wouldn''t tattle on me."


    "From then on, I just started to struggle as much as I can. In order to live just one more day. Every single day, I had to live in fear that I would be discovered and everything that I have worked for will be for naught. At least, that was until I became stronger and was able to fight for myself."


    "The funniest thing that I have seen was the face of that Emperor when I came to seek an audience with him, bringing a group of my people. People who I had nurtured and catered to, who ended up being promising figures that caught everybody''s eyes in their own good sides."


    "Xian Ruo county. The independent land that I had taken over. It used to be a depraved land, and the Emperor did not pay any attention to it since the profit levels would be too low for it to be worth the efforts. However, this was akin to a diamond mine for me. I took the chance to develop this place. Starting from the smallest things. Garnering people and their support. Building my own power from the bottom."


    "And now.. I am me, the lord you are talking to." Xie Yongrui finished his short story. "What do you think? I''m good at telling stories, right?"


    Xu Jiaqi pursed her lips. Her acting gears were running on full power. Within Xie Yongrui''s story, there were not much that fell outside of her prediction. Only one or two pieces of information were not accounted for before this tea time even begun.


    She was someone who had an extraordinary talent in combining clues and answering her own needs.


    Thus, the next step she should take was painfully obvious to her.


    "..Does the lord not wish for more?" Xu Jiaqi probed with a provocative question.


    "Ho~h.. What do you mean by that? Do elaborate." With an amused expression, Xie Yongrui replied. The gloomy mood was erased in an instant, and got replaced by a brewing suspicion.


    "In my eyes, someone like the lord should be able to.. let''s say.. Turn the tables around. If you ask me, I don''t care about wealth, fame, glory, or anything like that. It is all meaningless if you don''t have one thing."


    "And that is?"


    "Authority, my lord. What else is better than authority? If you don''t have enough authority, then you would be nothing but someone else''s puppet to use. It is the greatest concept that humanity came up with."


    "..How does that relate to me?" Xie Yongrui crossed his arms as he prepared to listen to Xu Jiaqi''s appeal.


    "Excuse me for saying this, but my lord''s current position.. You must already know this, but it is very unstable. Just one mistake could tip you over and plunge you into failure... I have seen that although this place is very beautiful, it''s far from the central of power and there is not much people that you could actively use if you want to administer your power."


    Xie Yongrui narrowed his eyes. Clearly, he was stuck between feeling like he just ate vomit, and like he just discovered a new toy that made him content.


    "Authority is above everything else, your honor. I believe that you have a keen sense of judgement, and that you would be able to soar much higher than the point which you are already standing on right now. Isn''t that right?" Xu Jiaqi fanned the flames even further.


    Xie Yongrui always laid out his plans in a rather careful manner. This was because he knew that the foundation he had poured his blood, sweat, and tears into could crumble any moment if he just made one wrong move. Just like Xu Jiaqi said, his position was extremely unstable.


    The Emperor detested him, and that would guarantee a spot as one of the biggest catalyst to anybody''s downfall.


    Xie Yongrui managed to snatch the title of a ''Prince'', but it was in name only. Just like back when the dynasty was still ran by the Xie family. The only thing that changed was that Xian Ruo was in his hands and completely untouched by the Empire''s influence due to his tenacity and efforts.


    But no one could predict when all of these would falter.


    "You are noble. Far more nobler than the one who is currently sitting on top of the throne right now. I might be someone who isn''t qualified to talk about these kinds of things, but to me.. The current throne is rather easy to shake. After all, don''t they say that those who can manipulate others will live longer than those who can''t? The approach the Emperor took when he took over the Empire did guarantee as little casualties as possible, but he still left loopholes to his back that could be exploited."


    "...And who do you think you are? A master of manipulation?" Xie Yongrui glared.


    This little kitten, was her intention to test his limits? The amount of patience he could spare for her?

 Chapter 117 - 3.13

    Xu Jiaqi flashed a crafty smile. Things were going the way she planned it to be. If she just played this perfectly.. then her chances of fulfilling her mission would be lifted up by a mile.


    She placed her thin and small hand over her chest, appearing as solemn as possible.


    "I am honored that my lord thinks of me that way. I am just someone who has a crooked view on the world. I don''t know what about me caught my lord''s attention, but if you wish for it.. I could become your weapon."


    A dangerous glint passed through both of their eyes.


    "How should I trust you? I intended to take you in as a little kitten.. I never considered your power in the slightest, nor do I intend on granting you any sort of impact. You just have to be here next to me. That''s your position.. In the beginning, that is." Xie Yongrui smirked. "Now that you''ve said these things, I''m interested as to what you can offer me. Even more.. on why you are able to yield these kinds of opinions, voice them out in bravery, and even claim to have the ability to help me." Xie Yongrui spoke.


    "However.. If I find your proposal unsatisfying, then I reckon you must already be prepared for the consequences, right? Little kitten, I am not a very patient person. Ever since I rose into power, all of my subordinates are crawling as desperate as they could to not make any mistake.. Do you know what pushes them to those heights?" A dark chuckle elapsed. "It''s because I hate mistakes. I loathe those who can''t even do their job properly. Little kitten, if you just silently fulfilled your purpose, then no harm would''ve come to strike you. But now that you are opening up a challenge.. Be prepared." Xie Yongrui warned.


    "..That should be obvious." Xu Jiaqi felt like there was an immense pressure haunting her from the back. It was clearly seeping out from the man before her. "I shall do my best to not disappoint you in the slightest."


    Xu Jiaqi was confident, but not as confident as her previous starting points. She was just a powerless girl. Although she had a cheat, namely the weapons she received from the System, there was a limit to how much she could soar by herself. Even in the previous world, she had to rely on the fact that she was a Duke''s daughter to meet Zenith and be a Saintess candidate in the first place.


    But this world? She was a homeless child who was taken in by this person in front of her, who placed his curiosity on her. She had an inkling as to what caused Xie Yongrui''s turmoil, but she didn''t say anything.


    It was an advantage to her in any case.


    "The matter of trusting me or not.. I will leave that to your sense of judgement. I am not saying that.. You have to believe me. I am merely proposing an enticing idea.. Whether the lord wants to take part in it is not within my consideration. Being a little kitten also doesn''t sound too bad.. But sometimes, when handling stray animals, you have to be careful that they won''t bite you. It could be poisonous if you don''t have the wisdom to contain said stray." Xu Jiaqi laced her words with implications.


    Xie Yongrui''s expression grew uglier as he listened. "How great! I have truly picked up something great. Good... Xu Jiaqi, was it? I shall see just how amazing of a proposal you have in your stash, for you to say such daring words." He emitted a larger amount of pressure, making it hard for Xu Jiaqi to even breathe properly.


    Keeping her posture straight was a taxing chore, but she upheld her confident aura as she took a deep breath and  began to spill her plans.


    "My lord, what do you think of the current Empire? Is it desirable to your liking? I find it loathsome. Suffocating. If I had to go farther, I would even say that it is beyond salvation. This Empire is bound to collapse one day under the rule of that person.  Just by looking at the conditions from the surface area, you can already tell that there are many problems, not only in the social structures.. but also the conflict of authority. And yet, the Emperor isn''t doing anything about it. Isn''t it very funny? He''s trying to plunge not only himself, but everyone around him into certain failure."


    Right off the bat, she voiced out a controversial topic.


    The current Empire''s state, to be described into words, was a large wound that got an infection. And yet, instead of trying to cure it, the Emperor decided to take measures that would only ensure stability for a temporary schedule. He covered the wound with bandages and did not dare do anything more than that. No medicine, no soothing agent, no nothing. He left it as is.


    Why?


    Because he feared changes.


    Although he had usurped the throne from the previous Emperor after allying with the other sections of power, he actually did not bind them under him. They helped him simply because the previous Emperor, although he was not the most diligent Ruler in history, was a man that knew to put leashes on his vassals.


    When he was sitting on the throne, no one wanted to bite him in the back. Why was that? It was because the Emperor created a web of power where he could sit in the center without doing much. The ones that were stuck in this web were left with no choices but to serve under him if they didn''t want to suffer.


    Countless schemes, dirty work, and black material got him to that point. Like a proficient spider, he sat on top of the web and watched as people did his work for him, but were not able to do much against him.


    This was the kind of man that sat on the throne previously.

 Chapter 118 - 3.14

    Although it was still not the most stable thing ever, he did have a substantial amount of work put into maintaining everything under his control. He knew the importance of that factor. And that was enough for him to live his days without having to panic and think about all the possible worst outcomes that would emerge. All the adversities he could face.


    This was unlike the current Ruler, who had to live in constant uncertainty due to his lack of momentum.


    "In the first place, if the Emperor truly knew what he was doing and was capable of it all, why do you think the Xian Ruo county was able to exist? Leaving an independent region alone and not holding the reins of authority tightly. Like I have said before, there is nothing better than authority in this entire world."


    "No matter how much money you have.. If there is someone above you in terms of authority, then what does it all truly mean? You might be able to afford a lavish lifestyle, just like how you are faring right now, but truly.. If there is no concrete authority backing you up, if there isn''t a stable foundation built below you, then all of it will be for naught." Xu Jiaqi lightly tapped the table in a rhythmic manner.


    Her voice rang clear, and her tone carried an allure that seemed to lead Xie Yongrui to become very engaged in the discussion. It tickled his ears greatly, and left him unable to not listen to her provocative speech.


    "I have said that you are in an unstable position, but the truth is, the same goes for the Empire. The people might look happy for now.. But our place is not the only independent region that the Emperor hasn''t been able to usurp into his control. I would even go as far as to say that his head is empty for not maximizing his chances of being a Ruler. There is nothing worse than being put on the highest pedestal, and yet not having the proper authority to rule over those below you."


    The Emperor basically set his own death trap when he rose to the position without having the mindset to manipulate those below him to the finest details. He was standing on top of a thin pole that could be shattered any moment now.


    "Granted, not much time has passed since he stepped up for the position, but this period should be the most crucial to stabilize one''s power as someone who had changed the Empire''s era. Shifting dynasties can never come without any real repercussions, and the Emperor should know this above everything else. The fact that he wasn''t able to see how much his actions ended up shaking the balance of the Empire.. I''m afraid that they don''t have much time left before the world is going to stir one more time."


    "Thus, I am here to present you with my thoughts, my lord. You are strong, brave, and meticulous in your path. You know your strengths, and how to use it. If I was to join forces with you.. Then I will make sure that we become an even more frightening pair. I will make sure that.. There will be nobody that could come and obstruct us." Xu Jiaqi stood up from her seat and went beside Xie Yongrui.


    She stretched out her hand and landed it on Xie Yongrui''s shoulder. Then, she moved it over to his neck, and up to his face.


    "My lord, is it not time for a new type of power to arise? Taking back the Empire is too lackluster. You will just have to deal with a lot of trouble to repair everything and bring glory to it. It is simply.. not worth it. So, instead of that.. Why don''t we come back as a greater force, and subdue the current Empire later on?"


    "You won''t have to deal with the boring things, but you will be able to see the broken Empire and mock it for what you have endured up until this point. Isn''t that the most spectacular ending ever?" Xu Jiaqi wrapped her arms around Xie Yongrui, and pushed him down to the floor.


    The lord''s personality was not flirtatious, but it wasn''t like he was innocent either. In order to get what he wanted, he had used his looks quite a lot. A handsome face that emitted a refined aura, although the person in question wasn''t as refined as he looked.


    What a great find for the devilish her.


    Like a demoness, her arms were akin to a slithering snake as it caressed Xie Yongrui ever so gently. Drawing more reactions for him. Raising his passion. Messing up with his train of thoughts.


    As long as she played this right, then this game of messy politics would surely be won by her too.


    "Come to my side, my lord. I shall bring you to victory.. And present to you the greatest authority in the world." Xu Jiaqi latched herself onto the man, knowing that he wasn''t rejecting her touch at all. In fact, his hands were already starting to roam around her back, trying to grasp at her intentions while enjoying the interaction.


    His probing eyes seemed to doubt her, but she let none of those views affect her as she let out a light giggle.


    "Since you are trying to lure me into this kind of plan, then you must have a set price that you want me to follow. What is it that you will accomplish after having done such a thing? What will you gain out of all this? Do you wish to be an Empress after everything is over?" Xie Yongrui snapped out of his deepest thoughts and frowned at the woman.


    No matter how he thought about it, the only one who would get direct benefits from this kind of viewpoint was him. Did she desire to be with him as partners in life?


    That... didn''t seem too bad, to be honest.


    However, instead of answering him the way he expected her to, Xu Jiaqi just started to laugh loudly.


    As if Xie Yongrui just told her the funniest joke of the year.

 Chapter 119 - 3.15

    "..My lord, there is something that is much more enjoyable then standing on the pedestal that everyone seems to envy. And that is not being the Emperor.. nor the Empress, or anything of that sort." Xu Jiaqi stretched out her words as she tenderly combed at Xie Yongrui''s hair.


    Indeed.. What could be better than that?


    Her utmost pleasure.


    Controlling everything from the shadows.


    There was nothing that could beat the sensation of everyone not knowing that there was a deeper power that lurked behind the back. It was the most exciting game for her. To build success without people realizing that she was the rightful controller of all.


    In Xu Jiaqi''s mind, it was the highest level of pleasure she could attain from indulging in these kinds of affairs. It was her natural way of thinking.


    "What.. is it?" Xie Yongrui gulped a mouthful of saliva as he questioned.


    "Let''s just say.. I am someone who is similar with the Prime Minister in some ways. But instead of trying to usurp the throne.. I find it much more comfortable sitting in the back. You are able to enjoy your life knowing that you have power in your hands, even though you are not shown to the public and exposed so blatantly. I find it so enthralling. Does the lord not think the same?" Xu Jiaqi explained.


    Xie Yongrui raised a brow in amusement at her statements. This was practically saying that she was going to control him from the backlines, just indirectly. Since the power in question was going to be him in the future, didn''t she just insinuate that she would be reigning in the shadows over him?


    What a bold child. So young, yet so blinding.


    "You.. who the hell are you? To make this kind of suggestions and takes on these kinds of affairs.. No matter how mature you were forced to be due to your conditions, you shouldn''t be able to rise up until this kind of level at all..." Xie Yongrui took a sharp breath as he started to feel like the room was getting hot. "Not even those who were taught strictly by the finest education could measure up in terms of your craftiness."


    "Oh, my dearest lord, I am nothing but a person from a humble birth who learned how to fend for herself in the worst ways. The world itself was my teacher. Is that not a good enough answer for you?" Xu Jiaqi tilted her head, almost in a mocking manner. As if she was a born Ruler, a figure that she had described in her words. "As per what people usually say.. Hardship is the best teacher for someone''s growth."


    She grinned. The overwhelming presence and confidence she let out was unnerving. Like she was the epitome of the word authority. Everything was in her palms. Forever and after.


    No one could hold a candle to her, and that was extremely surprising to the man currently below Xu Jiaqi, struggling to think clearly. Xu Jiaqi was like a lioness who teased her prey. Even though he was supposed to be the one who possessed more power here.


    "..It seems like I picked up a diamond, not just a harmless little kitten." Xie Yongrui smiled, as he got up and sat properly. He didn''t remove Xu Jiaqi from her place, though. "How unfair of you to do this."


    His heart was still beating quick, and as much as he wanted to calm himself down, he couldn''t take his eyes off Xu Jiaqi.


    "Oh, my dear lord. I am not just a mere diamond, but the whole mine. A diamond is nowhere close to an asset like me." Xu Jiaqi boasted with a sly gaze. "Or rather.. I am not the diamond you are speaking about, but the one who produces diamonds. Please don''t worry, I have no interest in the throne. I will produce brilliant diamonds for you, and the one who shines the brightest.. shall ultimately be you, my lord."


    "You are a good speaker. You are blunt, and yet know how to use flowery words to your advantage. We shall see if you are just a person who spouts empty words, or if you have the skills to back your plans up. You do know that just stating all those isn''t necessarily a valuable act, right?" Xie Yongrui narrowed his eyes as he started to gain his composure back.


    Indeed, the things Xu Jiaqi whispered to him were grand schemes. However, to actually execute and accomplish those matters was a totally different subject.


    "Of course, I do, my lord. However... in order to perform the best plans, don''t you think that... I need to be supplied with bits of power?" Xu Jiaqi put a finger up against her lips as she smirked.


    Xie Yongrui sighed. She wasn''t wrong. However, no matter how hard this girl shook him to the core, it wasn''t like he could just grant her power that easily.


    It was a proven fact that his men were rather hard to work with. The conditions that Xie Yongrui picked them up from were harsh and unforgiving. After being polished and honed to be someone loyal and valuable to Xie Yongrui their expectations soon grew to be as high as the sky after working with him for a long time. It was certain that even if he showed support for the girl all the time, they still wouldn''t obey her unconditionally.


    This was not to say that they were disloyal, but it was just a matter of ''respect should be earned, not given''.


    They took pride in their powers and abilities. Of course, if this frail looking girl was thrown into the fray all of a sudden, distrust would bloom inside their hearts. It was understandable.


    To this, not only did Xie Yongrui not plan to stop them in the slightest, he was also tempted to fan the flames. See how much she would struggle under all the meddlesome matters.. See how she fares.

 Chapter 120 - 3.16

    "I can''t help you much with my subordinates. Even if I forced them to obey you, I reckon that it still wouldn''t satisfy what you envision, right? If you want power, you do have to earn it." Xie Yongrui spoke. "What my subordinates think of you.. Will not be adjusted to my views. You have to prove to them that you are actually worthy of becoming my ally."


    "I know, my lord. I am not just a big talker. I will show you how good I truly am. Please just give me one week, and then throw me into the soldiers'' training ground. That will be enough for now. Introduce me as not your little kitten, but as your consultant. Can you do that for me?" Xu Jiaqi clapped her hands in delight, giving her stance.


    "Consultant, huh? It''s doable. Then, I will arrange for you to be settled into our batches." Xie Yongrui nodded, approving of Xu Jiaqi''s request. He was curious as to what tricks Xu Jiaqi was trying to pull. How bright she would shine in her path. "I shall be waiting for your glorious results. It''s almost time for me to go, as I have to attend to some matters before I can rest again.. Later on, I will call you to dote on you, little kitten."


    Xu Jiaqi smiled brightly as she applauded to congratulate herself. "The birth of a new consultant! Isn''t it exciting?" she broke into a fit of loud laughter. But after laughing too much, her stomach ended up hurting and she crouched on the floor.


    It made Xie Yongrui worry and tend to her, only for her to reveal a completely guiltless face.


    ''It really did hurt, but dignity is dignity. I can''t throw it as easy as you want to.''


    "You also need a lot of food and nutrition. I have already tasked our doctor ahead of time to plan out a program to better your health. What should I do if someone as smart as you ends up dying early just because your body is weak?"


    "I won''t die before you die, my lord. Or at the very least.. I won''t die until I bring you to the pinnacle of success. Please trust me until that time comes. I vow to not betray you." Xu Jiaqi added.


    "Mischievous. Are you not scared of death? Your words are always one step away from plunging yourself off a cliff. I like you the way you are right now, so I don''t mind how you speak, but there are boundaries to everything. You can''t act as you wish, no matter how much you want to." Xie Yongrui advised with a stern tone. He didn''t want the girl to fall down just because of a simple mistake like etiquette and such.


    "Do you need an etiquette class. Or anything of that sort? i would be happy to offer you that."


    "My lord, don''t you think that I am superb at acting?" Xu Jiaqi displayed a distraught look, as if she was shocked at how Xie Yongrui''s warning came to be. "I can play the part of.. any role.


    "Really, what on Earth made you this way? You never cease to amaze."


    "Prodigies are a different breed, my lord. Please don''t question it too much, and let''s just focus on actually dishing out our moves. As I have promised to you, my main goal will be to make you the Emperor. But not in this current established empire.. But instead, we shall bear witness to the birth of a new glory."


    Xu Jiaqi stood up, and walked towards the door.


    "There will be a day where Xian Ruo is no longer just a county, but rather.. An empire."


    "The lord just has to support me, and do what I say. The results will be with you


    Although Xie Yongrui was originally not a very trusting person, but


    ''However, even if I don''t know them in the slightest, there should still be the sons and daughters of the heaven, right?''


    The main leads. The ones favored by fate.


    [Yes, Host. Every world will naturally have them. They don''t have to be a pairing, they could just transcend anything.


    ''Then.. I wonder if I can find out who they are? System, can you do it?''


    [..It will have to depend on the situation. Searching blindly will take forever, and there is a very little chance that I would actually come across the key players. Instead, it''s better if I stick to you like normal. When you, an intruder for this plane comes across the rightful leads, a disruptive effect actually occurs. I will be able to pick up the little transmission waves.]


    ''..So I won''t even get to plan anything to subdue the leads from now, huh? Though, as their name suggests.. They would have to be prominent figures. Lucky people who gets everything going in their way.'' Xu Jiaqi commented.


    [I agree, Host. In my opinion.. this kind of thing shouldn''t be rushed, right?]


    ''You are correct, sweet little guy...


    "My lord, I sense that you are going out? Please take care, the undying Sun of the Empire. As for me, I shall gladly train myself to suit the greatness!" Xu Jiaqi acted an overly excited child, and it made the man before her smile.


    The lord began to sit up as well, straightening out his posture. In front of her, she felt so exposed Nothing is coming out of the grand machine.


    There were not many nobles who dared to get close to him. She observed him.


    Xu Jiaqi wanted to walk back to her abode, but she ended up arriving and staying an hour without doing much.


    "First of all... I shall train my body." Xu Jiaqi stretched her body out. "System, is there any way I can cheat? I hate grinding the most~"


    [No can''t do! No matter how much of an atmosphere we are in.. It shouldn''t be done.] The System fortified his morals.


    "Well, then.. Yes, yes. Now, let''s go on with the body training!"


    One week was a short time, but I somehow believe that young miss Xu is going to do something crazy.


    Xu Jiaqi: Shall I teach them a lesson or two?

 Chapter 121 - 3.17

    "Good morning to you, miss Xu." Xu Jiaqi''s room was entered by a woman donning simple maid clothes. She brought a tea pot with her, and moved over to the classic tea table on the floor. Pouring a cup of tea delicately, she invited the lady to enjoy the fragrant tea brewed not long ago.


    This world was heavily invested in tea, even more than what Xu Jiaqi had ever seen in her whole life. It was surprising, since the technology was not as advanced as her previous worlds. Somehow, they were able to cultivate drinks that were significantly more refined and enjoyable, suitable to her tastes.


    "Thank you as always, Lin." Xu Jiaqi put up a bright smile as she sipped the drink.


    Lin was the maid''s name. She was the servant she ended up choosing to attend to her out of the many Xie Yongrui ended up deploying to her. Clever and extraordinary, with qualities that you wouldn''t expect for a normal servant.


    Lin was skilled, just like every other person in the estate. However, right off the bat, Xu Jiaqi felt like there was something much more special hidden inside Lin. She always had an eye for people and their good or bad sides. Using this gift, she was able to recruit many talented individuals to her side.


    Like most of the servants who got admitted into the estate, Lin was proficient in not only serving her master, but also in fighting and many other skills. It made Xu Jiaqi wonder. Why were these people allowing themselves to lay low like this? If they just willed for it, they would be able to achieve great heights by normal standards. Their flexibility in so many different areas alone was something that automatically placed them in a rank much higher than the others, not to mention the degree of expertise they were able to take them into.


    ''..I could make use of all of this. An advantage.. Yes, it is an advantage.'' Xu Jiaqi solemnly thought.


    Xu Jiaqi was afraid that all they were missing now were numbers and proper recognition. They already have the skills. Weaponry could be taken care of as long as they had the raw materials, which is acquirable through underground means. She should be able to take care of the political power standing by herself, and even then, there were many individuals that seemed so proficient in taking charge of that matter as well.


    When she compared the troops Xian Ruo had, compared to the Empire ruled by the Huos, she saw a visible difference. The other party had so much more to handle. The quantity was overloaded. As for Xian Ruo, Xie Yongrui was someone who loathed quantity, and focused on quality.


    Not a single one of the people below him was useless.


    In the end, what was stopping them from building an entire Empire? The ingredients were there.


    What they needed was..


    Xu Jiaqi smirked, feeling a little confused, yet entertained. Last world, her mission was to take over the empire and the Holy Land''s power, which was essentially gave her a complete authority over the whole world.


    In this world, her objective was to build up a powerhouse from scratch. Xu Jiaqi had actually never learned how to manage a large entity before. She had fun forming plans and schemes to install on various conditions. Her talent was becoming a strategist.


    The thing she was especially good at was business, and putting pressure on people until they were subdued. It was her forte, her best side. However, for this case, business alone was not enough.


    An Empire. Not a town, a province, or a kingdom. But an Empire.


    In the first place, building an entire Empire took many people''s  contributions not only to establish it, but also to run it.


    ''..Is this time to turn back on my words and just attack Huo''s Empire?'' Xu Jiaqi contemplated.


    Huo Jingshen, the current Emperor was someone who leaned more towards the commercial section. He placed high importance towards how his civilians lived, but not much attention was placed into the military.  It was a naive decision, considering how unstable they were.


    One huge wave would tip them over and end them for good.


    "Hmm.. Lin, the question I asked you last time.. Did you call them?" Xu Jiaqi decided to stop thinking about that matter for the time being.


    Her utmost priority for now was obtaining the respect that Xie Yongrui spoke about last time. She was awfully aware of the need for them to follow her not out of orders, but out of trust.


    Xu Jiaqi''s gaze darkened. Gaining trust was not easy, but attracting distrust was as easy as breathing air. It was the cold, hard truth. Once she made a single mistake, she was afraid that it would be practically over. Xu Jiaqi had roughly investigated them. They were all critical individuals that was harsh on not only the others, but also themselves.


    A good mindset for improvement, but it was disadvantageous for Xu Jiaqi right now.


    She had to unleash her utmost skills in order to attain their trust. This would be her first showcase, and she couldn''t possibly ruin everything up.


    "..! Yes, Miss Xu. I have relayed your wish over to them. Are you planning on retracting the invite?" Lin quickly understood what the miss meant.


    Right after Xu Jiaqi had the discussion with Xie Yongrui, she went straight into hellish training. It has only been one week, but she could see a drastic change in her. Perhaps because it was still a fantasy world despite not having much magical energy, she felt like the settings for a human''s body in this place was a bit too good to be true.


    Xu Jiaqi took the initiative since no one else was actively using magic due to its nature being so obscure. Still using the same cultivation method as she did in the previous world, she began to amass magical power as much as she could. As she expected, after one week, the results were divided.


    This world put more emphasis on raw strength. A mere child could lift several heavy blocks of wood, and it would be considered regular. Thus, after just a week, Xu Jiaqi got her physique up, only falling behind the average by a slight amount. With more intensive training, it should be taken care of with no troubles.


    Only, her trump card was having some problems. This world did not have any restrictions on elements, but at the same time, the mana that circulated around was so messy and unrefined. It made Xu Jiaqi shiver every time she came in contact with certain places, since she was so sensitive to magical power after the experience she had before.


    Not only was she a Saintess blessed by a Goddess, she also received the brunt of Zenith''s magic in his last spurt. The energy that came out of him affected her so much that her everything was totally changed.


    ''System, go for a trip while you gather information. I want you to locate where the most abundant magic is concentrated in. There must be a place like Palla in here, no matter how high the disparity is.'' Xu Jiaqi ended up instructing after contemplating for a bit. The System will have to spend some time to gather and compile the deeper secrets, and what other things could the precious time be spent on?


    Xu Jiaqi did not need extremely powerful magic. She just needed magic for one thing.


    Acting like a deity. She planned to use magic to further assert her dominance. If she became the one and only proficient magic wielder, then it would be a great advantage.


    There was no clear religion being upheld in this world, unlike the previous one with Goddess Eula.


    Then, what if Xu Jiaqi came by, wielding magic and power? The first thing that she had noticed was that there was no regenerative magic or potions in this world. People relied on their own bodily functions to heal. But if Xu Jiaqi was able to provide essential healing and some enchantments to strengthen the already overpowered knights..


    Learning from the last world''s knowledge, she saw how successful the culture was. How the Goddess kept on getting stronger as ''faith'' was placed on her. Xu Jiaqi learned that the concept of faith was basically applicable to every single denizen of a world.


    It could be said that power was rewarded by the fate in exchange for the increasing faith in you. Thus, if she wanted to take complete control over the matters... Magic was a shortcut. She already had a solid foundation, a fresh memory to back her craft up, and the resources to actually execute it.


    "..Game over." Xu Jiaqi whispered. The words were caught by Lin, who asked her what it meant. Xu Jiaqi lightly shook her head as she drank the rest of her tea.


    "It''s nothing. Never mind that.. Let us go forth to the soldiers'' training ground. It''s time for us to wreak some havoc." Xu Jiaqi got up from her seat and changed into lighter clothing that wouldn''t limit her movements as much as the traditional clothes of this world would.


    ''Though, I must say, the arts in this world are superb. I find myself admiring them, they are especially inspiring.'' Xu Jiaqi hummed a happy tone. ''Perhaps, if I was able to cultivate something innovative in this section as well.. It would be great business. I have to tread carefully.'' Xu Jiaqi thought.


    Plans were being formulated and tested inside her hand with each passing second.


    ''..A place of power akin to the Holy Land. A blessed place that is guarded and protected by the secrets of magic.''


    After much consideration, it seemed like this was the conclusion she had dawned upon.


    It seemed fun.

 Chapter 122 - 3.18

    Xu Jiaqi smiled as she turned her head to look at Lin, who was anxious at the Miss'' stubborn behavior. She had reported the case of her wanting to fight with the soldiers to Xie Yongrui, but the man did not prevent anything from happening and just told Lin to observe.


    Truth be told, Lin was not too expectant on this new girl''s arrival. She was nothing but a frail child who didn''t seem to possess any major strengths. But the lord still treated her specially, so it made her wonder. The child was indeed smart, a lot smarter than her peers, but the estate was overflowing with smart people who also had the strength to execute their brilliant ideas.


    Compared to them, Xu Jiaqi did seem lackluster, making her not that trusting. Not only that, one of her jobs was to observe this newcomer. The lord had appointed her to be one of the maid candidates because not only was she skillful at serving another, she used to be part of Xie Yongrui''s elite troops.


    She was withdrawn from the group, but she still retained her various techniques. Now, she played the part of Xu Jiaqi''s maid.


    Just like what Xu Jiaqi had requested of her before, Lin orchestrated a visit towards the soldiers'' chamber. They were now walking towards said place. Lin was apathetic, while Xu Jiaqi was in great spirits, getting ready to show off her newfound skills.


    However, when they got to the place, there was no warm welcome. In fact, the place looked like it was a mess. Xu Jiaqi, just by sweeping her eyes across the place, was fairly able to tell that it was probably an intentional action done just to spite her.


    The atmosphere of an abandoned graveyard was so prominent in this case.


    Xu Jiaqi did not feel bothered, and just walked in without shame. She slowly began to spot out the knights from their places of hiding. After she finished pointing at every single one of the guards in here, Xu Jiaqi smirked.


    "Is this the correct time to formally introduce myself? Oh well, I suppose it doesn''t really matter how I introduce myself.. You all don''t seem too happy with me coming out here." Xu Jiaqi looked down on the men as she walked forward and raised her head high.


    She walked to the compartment filled with real, sharp weapons and picked a decent blade up. It was rather heavy, but considering this world''s denizens'' physical ability, she actually found not much trouble swinging it.


    "Hmm.. This seems fine." Xu Jiaqi attached the blade to the side of her hips. "Hello, my name is Xu Jiaqi. I am pretty sure that you have heard of me prior to this encounter, since my arrival and the lord''s favor apparently created a much larger boom than what I had expected. All that aside, my one and only goal today for coming here... Do you know what it is?"


    The place was silent. No one was willing to answer her.


    "Hmm? Was the knights'' order such a wimpy squadron who can''t even offer the proper way of greeting?"


    "I shall answer myself, then. Yes, yes, Miss Xu! I desperately want to know, but I am afraid of talking to such an ethereal beauty like you.. I am afraid that you are way above my league. My small self could only  wonder what fantastic goal you have in mind!" Xu Jiaqi spoke with a loud voice.


    Recently, Xu Jiaqi had birthed out a special interest called reading and writing dramatic literature. It made her be somewhat influenced as well.


    The guard were dumbfounded, but controlled their expression very well as he strutted along with her.


    "Very well! I shall answer. My goal is to... Beat you all up. I have realized that fighting really is the best way to resolve all of our problems and misconceptions. Shall we converse using our power?" Xu Jiaqi snickered.


    "It would be fun. Just come at me. It doesn''t matter if it''s just one person or all of you at the same time. I will.. thoroughly teach you a lesson." She giggled deliriously as she swung the heavy sword. The person in question was slightly intimidated, but he kept up his attitude.


    "..Tsk! You asked for it. Even if you are someone who the lord picked up.. I don''t know what he was thinking while he made that decision, but I hope that you do have a force to be reckoned with. I know that you might think that since this is just a mere sparring-" The man rambled.


    "Shh." Annoyed at the endless chatter, Xu Jiaqi placed a finger on her lips and the man immediately shut up. "Less talking, more actions." She advised.


    She was a magic swordsman. That was what Xu Jiaqi called her current state as. Someone who was both proficient in magic and swordsmanship was rare. Besides, Xu Jiaqi was clearly perfectly sure that her work was enough.


    ''System, is there any way I could perhaps utilize my strengthened soul for power?'' Xu Jiaqi questioned. Although what she had achieved for now was already considered a madman''s effort, she was still not satiated.


    [Uhh.. Does Host plan on using more magic than what you have already been using on yourself?!!]


    Truth be told, she was actually already using rather interesting enchantments on herself all this time. It was something that would make her calculations skyrocket due to her bright mind. From offense to defense, Xu Jiaqi was clearly very prepared.


    ''Basically, yes. I''ve calculated everything properly, you know? I can''t possibly.. beat them all with physical power. I need another way, but my magic.. the thing I prepared is nowhere near enough. The reason why I came here instead of waiting more, however, is because..'' Xu Jiaqi smirked. ''Let''s just say I came to impress.''


    [...Host, it''s very risky. Not only will you disrupt the world''s balance, there is also a high chance that these people will start having high expectations over you. When that time comes, do you expect that you would be able to dish out strong magic constantly?]


    ''It''s now or never. This is our chance to establish ourselves in this place. It''s the perfect opportunity.'' Xu Jiaqi was adamant. If there was any type of path she could take, she would gladly receive it.


    However, the System still refused to concede, saying that it was too dangerous.


    From there, after her introduction passed, she began to glare at every single one of them.


    Then, the battle finally started after moments of waiting. At first, since the soldiers did not want to hurt her that much, they deliberately sent their weakest link in power in order to essentially play around.


    Thus, they released one men at a time, trying to show Xu Jiaqi the difference between them.


    However, one by one, the opponents that came to beat Xu Jiaqi in an event fight got beaten up.


    It came to a point where the men finally started taking her seriously and attacked with great power.


    As time passed, Xu Jiaqi felt the exhaustion coming up to her and knew that the situation was turning sour for her.


    She couldn''t endure for much longer.


    Just then, a godsent gift arrived.


    "What are you dozing out for? It seems like you''re having a lot of fun exercising with my subordinates, but you look like you''re in the verge of fainting, you know? Hmm.." Xie Yongrui approached Xu Jiaqi with light steps as she and the others halted right away.


    There it was, Xie Yongrui''s distinctive voice that came out of nowhere.


    ''Questionable timing, but okay..'' Xu Jiaqi commented. Xie Yongrui''s entrance was like music to her ears.


    "My lovely lord, it''s a good day. May blessings always be with you." Xu Jiaqi stopped the fight and made a neat curtsy to the lord. The rest of the men also did not plan to attack anymore, since the lord was there.


    "M-my lord.. This girl! This girl is out of her mind, she asked us all to charge on her. She''s lost it, my lord! A crazy fella! If it isn''t too impudent, I would like to ask. Exactly what is you intentions in taking her in, my lord?" One of the men shouted out.


    "Oh? Yes! Finally, you learned? I''m crazy! I''m glad that you realized. I was beginning to think that you are intellectually damaged, to not be able to see the virtues laid inside of me. Oh, how pitiful you are, little lamb!" Like the dramatic actress she was, Xu Jiaqi began to shed tears that spurted out of nowhere, shocking the guards who had been wary of her all this time.


    This.. this crazy lady, where did she come out of??! Just a few moments ago, she was so fierce, and yet, who on Earth now seemed so fragile, like she was made out of porcelain.


    "Lord, this behavior is.." One of them wanted to raise concern as he was disturbed by the change, but was quickly cut off by no one other than Xie Yongrui himself.


    "Since when did we care about how things are acceptable or not?" Xie Yongrui questioned with a confused face, as if the man had just asked something terribly stupid. "We are clearly just as crazy as her."


    By the side, Xu Jiaqi was trying to emulate sadness as much as possible, but Xie Yongrui''s remarks made her want to burst out laughing.


    ______


    Side Story


    The System, who Xu Jiaqi kept overworking: Hmp, I must bear with this, the Host will let me rest after this.. Just one more investigation.. One more... I must endure!!


    Side story: As the System conducted his spying on some criminals hidden inside the Empire to try and obtain their weaknesses, his eyes ended up being stained by some questionable acts..


    System: Host, I want to go home. I don''t want to do this anymore! Wuwuwu~


    #SaveSystem

 Chapter 123 - 3.19

    The guard''s taken aback expression was a feast to behold.


    "We are people who live on the grey side of the world. We just need as much power as we could to stay upright and not be swept by the currents of the other regions. What''s wrong with me taking this girl in? You have seen how well she fights back against you all, right? With your discerning eyes.. It should be enough to evaluate her. How about it?" Xie Yongrui''s cold gaze sent chills down their spine in one go.


    By saying this, it was almost as if he was declaring that he would be protecting this girl. It was a very powerful statement, since he was the master in this household. Originally, if he just told them to take care of her, the effect wouldn''t be as large. However, now that he was directly covering for her, it meant a lot more.


    "..Ugh. Well, she does have some skills. I heard that before she got accepted into this estate, she was living in the streets? Then, the swordsmanship and magic skills she possess.. Lord, isn''t it suspicious how fast she was able to learn? That type of magic, I have never seen such a thing before. Not even in my most secretive missions." One of the men was unable to digest the story well, finding a lot of discrepancies. He shrugged as he raised the question.


    Mages were certainly the rarest fighters in this world. Not only was there little magic energy to work with, there was also no manuals that people could actively study out of. But Xu Jiaqi was someone who carried a shit ton of memories with her. Someone who was able to manipulate magic like it was written on the back of her hand with ease.


    Due to their meticulous attitudes, they had respectively researched about this girl''s origin. Born from a woman who worked in the night district and a nonexistent father. Suddenly, the lord brought her without consideration and seemed to favor her.


    This type of scenario, isn''t it a given that something was terribly off? They weren''t familiar with magic in the level Xu Jiaqi displayed. Humans had a natural tendency to fear something that they have never encountered in the past. This tendency traveled to this case too.


    The big elephant in the room. How in the hell was Xu Jiaqi able to reach her level of expertise?


    Surely, not just in a week after being picked up, right? It would be.. impossible.


    "Oh? Isn''t it for the better? She possesses magic, and you claim that it is strong enough to shock you. Then, shouldn''t we obtain her even more? Turn her into an ally." Xie Yongrui frowned.


    "But-"


    They were still not convinced.


    "Only time will tell. The only thing that you need to know is that she will be holding the position of my consultant from this day onwards." Xie Yongrui took the opportunity to also announce the information.


    Xu Jiaqi smiled helplessly as she rolled her eyes at the group who were now glaring at her with suspicion. They weren''t trying to hide it at all.


    They kept chattering and raising their doubts, whereas Xu Jiaqi just stayed silent as the lord communicated with them. She was too preoccupied with her own condition.


    ''System, I messed up. I overdid it. Jeez, this is why you should''ve gave me boosts, right?''


    [Host, if I gave you a boost, you wouldn''t be standing right now. Do you think that the boost will last forever?] The System slipped because he was tired trying to deflect Xu Jiaqi''s complaints all the time.


    Xu Jiaqi''s ears perked up.


    ''..Oh? By your words, it seems like a boost is really possible. I will be taking that into consideration from now on.'' With a sly smile, she gritted her teeth as she felt a wave of pain wash through her again.


    [Ah! What- ugh...] The System was speechless and could only regret his tongue slip. [Host, I. Am. Not. Giving. You. Boosts!]


    ''We shall see later.. Nevermind that, when is this thing going to end? My head is crumbling apart..''


    Standing by the side, Xu Jiaqi was trying her best to keep her consciousness intact as she felt the fatigue catch up to her in a severe manner. Naturally, being a skilled person, Xie Yongrui was able to notice this condition and looked towards the girl''s way.


    "...Have you had your fun with the girl yet? If not, then just pick another day to fight. I will be taking her now, I need her to do some things." Xie Yongrui approached Xu Jiaqi and brought her away without heeding the exasperated calls of his men, whose feeling weren''t settled yet.


    Surely, they wouldn''t grow to accept her that easily. It needed time. Continuous time and effort would change their perceptions and attitude towards her. Indeed, her entrance to the party was far too conspicuous and not right.


    ''Damn, fighting these guys really placed a burden on my body.. I feel lightheaded. System, can''t you upgrade into a healer or something?'' Xu Jiaqi sighed as she followed behind Xie Yongrui''s steps, trying her best to keep up the pace.


    [Don''t daydream, Host. Unless you complete tons of worlds and earn enough soul power to optimize me, how am I going to pull out such a handy feature?]


    However, as they walked the far distance between the training grounds and Xie Yongrui''s quarters, Xu Jiaqi was no longer able to take it. Her mind became hazy, her gaze unclear, and her steps wobbling.


    "..Lord, please wait a moment.." Xu Jiaqi called out weakly, holding her head to try and appease her migraine.


    Xie Yongrui looked behind, to which he saw the sight of a flushed young girl who held on to the pole beside her for dear life. He quickly grew worried and assisted her, but it was too late.


    Xu Jiaqi fainted right on the spot.


    The last thing she saw? Xie Yongrui''s terrified expression.


    It wasn''t normal. His reaction was way above the supposed line. He shouted at her in an erratic manner, calling her name multiple times before trying to pick her up.


    "..As I thought.. You are.." Xu Jiaqi whispered in a volume that wasn''t detected by Xie Yongrui. She closed her eyes and rested for sure.


    That same soul that caused ripples in her heart.

 Chapter 124 - 3.20

    ______


    "Why must it be you? It should be me! You- you stole my position! My everything! The Duke was supposed to be mine! I was- going to cure him, and, and live a happy life with him.. But why is it you??!"


    The scene Xu Jiaqi opened her eyes to was so shocking that she wondered if she had accidentally been transmigrated by the System to another world.


    There was a blonde woman on top of her. In her hands was a sharp knife completely covered in blood. Tears streamed down her face like a waterfall. A scary expression, her face all scrunched up and grim. Her makeup was smudged, and her hair unkept.


    ''Who?''


    Then, out of nowhere, she was attacked.


    Relentless stabbing from the woman, aimed towards her abdomen. She could feel her flesh being penetrated again and  again, as if she was nothing but a flesh of meat. She was rendered unable to move, and could only listen as the mad woman spiralled into a string of shrieks and wails.


    "DIE! IF YOU DISAPPEAR, THEN HE WILL FINALLY.. RECOGNIZE MY EFFORTS!" The woman yelled, stabbing as hard as she could into Xu Jiaqi.


    She didn''t understand the situation at all, nor did she want to understand.


    Who was this woman, and where was she?


    She was still Xu Jiaqi, right?


    No... the woman was wearing clothes that seemed more suited to the Victorian era, whereas Xu Jiaqi''s last memory contained people who wore clothes similar to traditional Chinese apparel.


    A dream.


    It should be a dream.


    She couldn''t contact the System, nor did she recall ever going through such an event. If it wasn''t a dream like in the continuous series she had to experience, what could it be?


    ''These fucking dreams are getting too real.'' Xu Jiaqi realized where she was and didn''t know how to react.


    This was probably the closest she had been to actually entering the body of the person in her dream. It was like she truly was being stabbed. She even felt the excruciating pain, but it slowly dulled down as more stabs came. There was a burning sensation throughout her whole body.


    Another dream. Twisted ones that kept appearing. Each time a world passed, she felt like it began to get closer to reality and affect her thoroughly.


    ''I need to get out of this situation, but how..?''


    Xu Jiaqi could only law down as the crazed woman repeated a man''s name over and over again.


    Hans. Duke Hans. A name that was unfamiliar to her.


    She didn''t know how much time had passed, nor was she able to comprehend how she survived to the point she currently was in.


    Her body was a mess. After wreaking havoc in her abdomen, the woman started to stab other areas as well. She ended it with a clean stab to the head, piercing her brain. She was supposed to die, right? There is now way she would be able to live on?


    However, she still couldn''t get out of the dream.


    That was, until a man entered the room. He was covered in sweat as he ran towards her cold body with a ghastly expression. His sultry voice calling out her name in despair.


    Xu Jiaqi was half asleep, but she immediately caught on something strange inside the man.


    ''..Zenith''s soul!'' Xu Jiaqi was still conscious, yet not aware of her surroundings at the same time. Her senses were dulled, and it was unclear whether the cause for it was her severe blood loss that pushed her to the death''s door, or because she was in a literal dream.


    One thing was for sure. She felt the waves of Zenith''s soul. She couldn''t have mistaken it.


    Zenith''s soul, which had protected her in the last world. In her current world, she guessed that it was inside Xie Yongrui''s body, but it was still not certified.


    The familiar traces.. It was much stronger this time, however. As if it was the strengthened version of Zenith''s own.


    ''Could it be.. This man possesses the soul I am looking for?''


    The one she was apparently intertwined with in her past.


    Xu Jiaqi tried her best to keep her eyes open, but it was futile.


    Just as she realized it, the dream was ending.


    She tried her hardest to reach out to the man and shout out her questions, but she wasn''t capable of doing so and passed away right then and there.


    ''No.. No!''


    ________


    The tired girl ended up with a fever. A rather high fever that would''ve cost her life if it was left untreated. Luckily, the doctors were skilled and was able to lower the severity of her condition and make her rest easier.


    However, she was still unable to wake up. It had been a whole day since she fainted. The doctors said that it was only excessive fatigue, but Xie Yongrui still couldn''t help but be worried sick.


    On a bright, sunny day, Xie Yongrui called out Lin, the personal maid he had assigned to her.


    "Lin, what do you think about the Qiqi?"  Xie Yongrui questioned.


    "..Pardon? Do you mean Miss Xu?"


    "Of course. Who else could it be? In the time you have spent with her, don''t tell me your brain malfunctioned? How come you need to ask such a question.." Xie Yongrui chided, dissatisfied at her.


    "P-please excuse me, my lord." Lin coughed to clear up her throat and gain the confidence to speak once more. "About Miss Xu, I haven''t discovered anything strange about her. However, it has to be noted that the Miss does possess strange knowledge that has no explanations bound to it. For example, the magic that she showed while sparring with the knights, and her sudden skillful swordsmanship. I find it weird, but outside of those moments, she usually acts pretty normal. She has no obvious vigilance or hostility even when I purposely made some subtle mistakes, and acted forgiving in those cases."


    With the report Lin just made, Xie Yongrui was further thrown into a spiral of thoughts.


    This girl called Xu Jiaqi, who exactly was she? No matter how hard he thought about it, he didn''t seem to find any traces of him meeting the girl in his entire life. His memory was supposed to be peerless. It couldn''t have failed him.


    Then, why was it did he feel a tingling sense of familiarity and longing? It made his heart ache, to the point where he was convinced that it was an underlying disease. However, the doctors all said that there was nothing wrong with him.


    However, he still insisted to himself that something was wrong with him.

 Chapter 125 - 3.21

    How could he not think that way?


    With each passing day, he found his eyes gradually being led to fall upon Xu Jiaqi more and more. Sometimes, when she would pull out bizarre plans out of nowhere, his cold and detached mask would fall apart, and a genuine smile would bloom.


    "..This is dangerous." Xie Yongrui grasped at his hair, sighing as he was conflicted on what to do next. In his vocabulary, there couldn''t exist a weakness. If something that made his heart stir like this appeared, then shouldn''t he eradicate her right away in order to secure himself?


    Or.. should he fight for these emotions- something that he had loathed for all these years because of how much negative connotation it brought to him?


    "What is dangerous, my lord?" Lin asked.


    Her question just made Xie Yongrui even more irked. "You can go now, I want to be alone. Keep staying close to her and report anything weird to me."


    Lin was distraught, but heeded the dismissal. She took off to look for Xu Jiaqi and monitor her again.


    "Haah." Xie Yongrui groaned as he got up from his seat and walked towards the door. Opening said door, he was able to see the faint figure of Xu Jiaqi playing around with his other subordinates. After spending some time, they all seemed to get along rather well.


    It had been a full month after Xu Jiaqi settled in his estate, and she had been working hard to fulfill her purpose ever since. Through his observations, he roughly knew Xu Jiaqi''s pattern. In the early mornings, she would be holed up inside her room, not letting a single person enter said chamber.


    In the afternoon, she would spar in the guards'' training grounds, taking anybody as her opponent. She would then go to the library after finishing, studying about everything and doing light paperwork on the side.


    At night, she didn''t sleep, but instead trained her swordsmanship and fighting styles.


    The last time he tried to send a subordinate to figure out what she was doing in the morning, he was caught and received a heavy warning to refrain from doing so if he valued her. Although he didn''t know what she did, he had a subtle guess that it was connected to her magical powers in some way or another.


    After all, every time he saw her come out of that room, the mystical aura that surrounded her always seemed stronger.


    This was not to say he possessed adequate magic, but he always knew that he was rather sensitive to magical powers. And Xu Jiaqi always carried a layer of comfortable shine with her. It made him feel relaxed.


    Perhaps, that was also part of why most of the manor''s denizens were now acquainted with her and had quite the good relationship with this new person.


    Although his subordinates carried a lot of distrust with them for people who they had just met, after the period of warming up passed, they would quickly shift their attitudes and turn into very reliable allies. Perhaps it was because there was no disparity between their statuses, or that they all shared a painful background and were saved by Xie Yongrui.


    The lord treated them extremely well, and they got to enjoy what they excel in. They were nurtured into splendid people. There was not enough words that could convey how much gratitude they had for the lord.


    The trust they had in said man was naturally extremely high. It couldn''t be described with mere words. When Xu Jiaqi was admitted, although they did have negativity hurled towards her, now that she showed what she could do, the prejudices were erased and they were able to accept her well.


    After all, the lord himself had chosen her. There must be a reason. They wanted to honor his decision.


    That was why, today, Xu Jiaqi was happily beating up one of the guys who played a trick on her. Pitiful screams ensued, terrified at how this girl, who had to use tricks in order to beat them not too long ago suddenly became a demoness that had impenetrable offense and defense.


    When Xu Jiaqi said she worked hard, it meant that she worked her ass off. Day in, day out. She was always focused in her training as she did her daily duties. Passive results boosted her rates significantly, and not to mention, she was now able to more or less wield the sword to a nearly perfect level.


    Using Zenith''s movements, who was actually later known as the greatest swordsman when they neared the end of their passage, Xu Jiaqi wielded the twin swords given by the System and connected Zenith''s style along with her own modifications.


    A true genius. Xu Jiaqi''s mind was boundless. Even though she never dedicated herself to the art of swords, she quickly grew accustomed to the ordeal and was capable enough to make her own changes within such a short time, even if the world''s polished physique adaptations helped.


    Hearing the news of all this, Xie Yongrui decided to call the girl up after musing for a long time.


    Xu Jiaqi herself had been waiting for this call for quite some time. Upon hearing the invitation, she immediately displayed a victory smirk, as if Xie Yongrui gained a loss. She rushed to Xie Yongrui''s private chamber and intruded on him.


    The door to his room was dragged open by Xu Jiaqi, who had a triumphant smile on her face.


    Xie Yongrui, seeing this, instinctively twitched his eyebrows, but coughed to clear his throat and calm down. In his mind, he repeated a peace mantra and reminded himself that the girl he was about to speak with was an eccentric fellow that couldn''t be measured with normal standards.


    "Qiqi, how have you been?" Xie Yongrui smiled as he gestured for the girl to sit down on the opposite side of the table. Xu Jiaqi did as told and greeted the man back as she sat down gracefully.


    "Oh? Did you miss me? Judging by how you haven''t come to seek me out in the previous chances.. I thought that you might have already forgotten about me." Not answering his question, she playfully winked at him, trying to fish out an interesting reaction.


    The mood was set. An ambiguous tension.


    The perfect pair as the players.


    The game was on.


    Xu Jiaqi: It''s time to battle! Pick your cards wisely, or else you will get consumed by me~

 Chapter 126 - 3.22

    Xie Yongrui debated inside his head on how to respond.


    Within the month, Xie Yongrui actually just kept his presence at the bare minimum. He left her to do whatever she wanted, but her personal maid would always come to report to him about Xu Jiaqi''s whereabouts and what she did. He also frequently checked up on her from a far distance.


    He just wanted to have some time to sort out his brewing thoughts, and at the same time take a look at how this brave girl showcased her prowess. However, from Xu Jiaqi''s perspective, it really might have looked like he abandoned her right after giving hope to the innocent little girl.


    Of course, Xu Jiaqi was nothing but innocent. The complete opposite.


    "How could someone forget about a person like you, Qiqi?" Xie Yongrui took a deep breath. The first line that came out of her mouth was already in this sort of tone, clearly nudging at his unbecoming behavior.


    Wlll he survive this battle? He didn''t want to bicker with her, to be honest.


    He thought that he was a master orator, that no one would be able to beat him if it was about playing with words. But Xu Jiaqi was clearly an anomaly, someone who existed to break the world''s views and standards.


    "Well, not that I am complaining. I am still diligently carrying out my duty as your one and only trusted consultant, your honor." Xu Jiaqi shrugged.


    "Bickering with my subordinates is part of your duties?" Wishing to be a tease, Xie Yongrui probed. Xu Jiaqi was the first one who tried to start a fight. He wanted to respond to the sentiment.


    However, how could he have forgotten?


    The Xu Jiaqi in front of him was a master teaser. Anybody who dared to challenge her would be defeated in an instant.


    The bait was cast by her in the first place. The pitiful Xie Yongrui who bit into the hook... his fate was uncertain.


    "Mmh? After much thinking, I concluded that a consultant should stay close to their master at all times, right? To consult him on everything... Let''s see, for example, her master''s needs?" Xu Jiaqi slowly crawled to Xie Yongrui''s side, nuzzling on his body.


    "What.. on Earth are you doing? A daring invite like this should be saved for.. later on." Xie Yongrui swallowed his saliva, feeling shaken.


    "Ahahah! I too was only joking. It was fun seeing you get flustered. I really wonder, why is it that you are this innocent? I have looked into your matters, and saw many incidents that doesn''t scream innocence. The opposite of innocence, in fact."


    "Are you jealous? Is this your way of complaining? Trying to tease me was because you got irritated by how you were treated?" Xie Yongrui composed himself and asked, trying to find out a moment of weakness within Xu Jiaqi''s facade.


    "Not at all, lord. I was just trying to say that.. Hm, I dislike men who aren''t as reserved as me."


    "..But you aren''t reserved at all. I just saw you bathe under the fountain with the others-" Xie Yongrui slipped with his words. He had revealed that he did oversee her within the period of time he was absent from direct contact.


    Xu Jiaqi burst into laughter as she waved her index finger, shaking her head at the mishap.


    "By the others.. do you perhaps mean the children that you yourself picked up, and left them with little care? Really, I find them very adorable, you know? How are you able to neglect them like that? To lay out the foundations of a perfect servant?"


    "I didn''t know that taking care of children was part of a consultant''s duties."


    "Am I not one of those children? Your honor, I still have years before I turn into an adult. Besides, I assure you that a consultant is a very harsh position, and it takes a toll on anybody with the job~" Xu Jiaqi nonchalantly gave an answer.


    "If you are truly a child, you wouldn''t have acted or thought the way you are right now. Inside your head.. it doesn''t seem like it''s a child who is working behind the moves at all." Xie Yongrui uttered his truthful thoughts.


    He wasn''t wrong, but he wouldn''t know. If she stacked all of her ages while she took over the bodies, Xu Jiaqi would''ve been an old lady.


    "..All jokes aside, I really am preparing for our moves, my lord. Please have trust in me and wait for the results. How could you... do such a thing, I wonder. I know what I signed up for when I came to this estate, but even for the lord, this is.." Xu Jiaqi broke down into tears and sobbed, covering her face up with both her palms as she wept.


    Xie Yongrui''s eyes instantly widened, and he got up to come to her side and offer comfort.


    "I.. I do trust you. I was just trying to mess with you. I''m sorry." Xie Yongrui grew worried as Xu Jiaqi''s expression truly looked real, as if she was filled with anguish that nobody could dispel.


    Xu Jiaqi waited for a few seconds before detaching her face away from her palms, which were now stained with tears. Of course, those tears were ones that she had secreted using tricks. It wouldn''t be genuine.


    She stuck out her tongue as she put up an innocent expression.


    Xie Yongrui, who just realized what had happened instantly palmed his face and sighed. "You... Haah." He had no words left to say.


    "Ao? Is the lord finally giving up on testing me? But I don''t feel like I''m getting messed with enough... My lord, I reckon you ought to be more cruel... Perhaps use some violence on me, who knows what kind of forbidden door we will open together? We will only discover it as we try." Xu Jiaqi teased the man.


    Hearing the implications, Xie Yongrui instantly flushed up and became as red as a tomato. "You are nothing but a child, stop saying such things."


    "Awww~ But lord was the one who dared to say that I can''t possibly be a child with how I act, right?" Xu Jiaqi giggled as she found Xie Yongrui''s appearance very delectable.


    Whoever dared to challenge her in teasing shall fall down. It was an unspoken fact. Xie Yongrui, who was still painfully unaware of how high the heights Xu Jiaqi was able to touch when she truly wanted to tease another, shall suffer defeat for today as well.


    Best of luck to him on the next try!

 Chapter 127 - 3.23

    Xu Jiaqi and Xie Yongrui continued their conversation, with the latter sometimes falling into the lovely girl''s traps and getting teased harshly.


    After some time, Xu Jiaqi''s curiosity began to spike.


    "Though, my lord, what have you been doing all this time? Were you really not planning on doing anything on your own? Judging from your character.. I''m afraid that I would have to say.. this place isn''t the only one your honor has control over."


    The System hadn''t finished his trip to gather valuable information, but from what she had received so far, Xie Yongrui''s position was really not as simple as just a former Prince who managed to obtain Xian Ruo.


    It was interesting, to say the least. For example, a personnel that was there the day she accidentally fell into the famous restaurant. There was one who went by the name Zheng Jianyu, at least when he worked.


    Zheng Jianyu was quite the interesting figure. He was someone who rose out of nowhere, starting out as a simple merchant to then later soar so high that he ended up becoming the prime minister of the nearby Xi Kingdom.


    Xi Kingdom. Besides the Empire, there were a total of three kingdoms.


    The Xi, the Bei, and the An. Each had their own respective defining qualities that made them stand out from the rest.


    The Xi Kingdom excelled in raising money. They were the central of the world''s trading route. The land of brilliant merchants and entrepreneurs. In terms of wealth, they were even matched up with the Empire. The land was rich, so rich that what would be considered a wealthy person in the other places would just be a normal citizen in the Xi Kingdom. Many valuable objects were processed there, and they also had a substantial amount of the world''s artifacts.


    The Bei Kingdom was ruled by the human known as the strongest person in the entire world. It was a land dedicated specifically for warriors and strong people, and it was very detached from the rest of the world, who began to form connections with each other in order to better their situations. They were more focused on strength, and believed that brute force was the greatest helper they could obtain.


    Lastly, the An Kingdom was quite mediocre. Perhaps it was because they had a streak of unlucky rulers who weren''t as competent as they needed to be, their conditions had been worsening ever since they started to come down from their peak of glory. There had been a time where they were the most excellent out of the bunch. When they had the most authority, going head to head with the Empire. But alas, all of that were now buried under the sheets, and their success was deteriorating at a pace so rapid that people were betting how long they would continue to exist at this rate.


    The Empire was the Empire because it stood in the middle of all these powers, holding those three sectors fairly well to the point that the other kingdoms had to step out so as to not tip the balance. Economy, military, and authority. It wasn''t the best at any of them, but it had more than what each country had to offer in total.


    In that said Xi Kingdom, Zheng Jianyu as known as such. ''The Devil''s Scale''.


    He was someone who could accurately assess and reap profits from making transactions left and right, from a small scale to a massive one. He was known to have never made a mistake in his career. So perfect that people began to call him the Devil, referring to how crazy his actions were.


    The word scale came from how he would always use the analogy of give and take in his every action. What he would receive must be greater than what he would pay. Mirroring the character of the Devil even more. It sounded villainous, but in actual situations, it wasn''t like he committed a daylight robbery.


    It was more of ''he had an eye for things''. A special intuition that allowed him to pick the best out of the best, things that would make him be able to trade for more and pay less. The best qualities a merchant should have were all gathered inside this person.


    For someone like him to have met Xie Yongrui in such a situation.. There had to be something deeper lying by.


    Though, there was no point in her trying so hard to hypothesize about it. When the System came back with the results, she would finally draw a conclusion out of it. She had little to no concrete evidence as of now. The matter of the other kingdoms.. could pose a threat to her future, but she only had to focus on getting stronger right now.


    "..That is both right and wrong. It''s just as you say, Qiqi. The rise of this new Emperor wasn''t as smooth and sailing as it was mentioned in the news. In fact, many didn''t sit well with the idea." Xie Yongrui laughed in a low tone.


    "Does your honor not plan on using them? They would be great allies. Just like you are poaching these talented figures... I reckon we could also start acquiring other regions. I will gladly compose plans that would lead us to that moment if your honor wishes for it to happen." Xu Jiaqi tapped her fingers on the table as she smiled happily.


    "Good lord. Really, can you only talk about destruction all day? Why don''t we talk about a lighter subject so that we could enjoy our time better?"


    With every single sentence they spoke of, it would always return back to this subject. It made him wonder, why was she so inclined to lean towards conquering the world? What was her motivation?


    "Ao? But I thought my lord also liked these kinds of subjects. I like it, you like it, so why not? Is it unpleasant? Talking to me about it. I could stop if you wish me to."


    "That''s not the case. I originally didn''t pick you up to be a consultant or whatever you wanted to be. If you just stayed beside me, you would''ve filled your purpose. Now that you''re going out this far just to serve me.."


    Xie Yongrui hesitated and stopped his words.

 Chapter 128 - 3.24

    Xu Jiaqi watched the man constantly change expressions before sighing.


    "..Does the lord think I have ulterior motives? Do you suspect me? Well, it''s not a strange thing to do. In fact, it would be wise for you to think that way." Xu Jiaqi mused as she played around with her hair. "But please.. remember that I never sought you out first. I clearly intended to get away from you, and you have seen where I got stranded to after our encounter. I don''t mind if you think I will do something bad to you.. All I wish is for my goal to be fulfilled."


    "What is.. your goal?" Somehow, Xie Yongrui felt nervous as he voiced out his question.


    "...I will tell you one day. But for now.. I will just say that I want to look at the world from the pinnacle of it. As someone who has control over this cursed, depraved reality." Xu Jiaqi gave Xie Yongrui a detached gaze and huffed right after. "Is it too much after all? You can''t fulfill it?"


    "It''s not that, but.. I have so many questions about you, and so far, I haven''t been able to find anything about you. Why is that so?" Xie Yongrui still couldn''t shake his mind off of this. Although saying it meant that he was declaring how he looked into her background, he didn''t care.


    "Oh? The lord is curious about me? I thought that I have already told you about the full story of my life. Did you perhaps not believe that too? I can''t control your mind, but if you can''t even bring yourself to believe the smallest things I tell you, then how are we supposed to enter a good cooperation?" Xu Jiaqi pouted.


    "..It''s not distrust. I am just curious about you, nothing else." Xie Yongrui defended himself, a bit troubled at how the girl was acting.


    In his entire life, he had never felt like he was so vulnerable towards something. And yet, Xu Jiaqi seemed to make him feel like his defenses were crumbling away, and that he would be unsafe if this is continued.


    "..Then, please believe me when I say one day, everything will be revealed. Until that time comes.. Hmm, perhaps you just have to think about yourself. Think about your memories, and your soul. A desirable clue.. One that I am also desperately looking for should be there." Xu Jiaqi placed her hand on Xie Yongrui''s chest, gliding over the surface gently.


    Xie Yongrui fell silent. Taking advantage of the young man''s dazed expression, Xu Jiaqi caressed Xie Yongrui''s cheeks and got up.


    "That''s it for now. My lord, I will be excusing myself. It''s time for me to resume my daily activities. I can''t afford to slack off, or else I will fall behind even more. It''s not a pleasant feeling for me, having to struggle everyday just to defeat my enemies. I want to be strong enough so that.. I could protect those I hold dear."


    Xie Yongrui''s eyes widened. A part of him wanted to ask if he was included in the list of people Xu Jiaqi ''held dear'', and who else was included in that list. But he waan''t able to voice it out in the end, and had to watch as Xu Jiaqi left the room, not waiting for his answer.


    He smiled helplessly, feeling the traces of that girl still lingering inside the room. "My soul.. and my memories? Why did she point those out..?" He murmured lowly, wondering what kind of connotation it had against his situation.


    For now, he would never be able to recall anything no matter how hard he tried. For now.


    ______


    Xu Jiaqi headed straight for the training grounds, wanting to get some light exercise for the day.


    Of course, what was considered light exercise to Xu Jiaqi meant that others'' wellbeing were at stake today. Bruises, wounds, cuts, they would all appear in bulk whenever Xu Jiaqi wished to ''exercise''.


    "Hey, Qiqi! Are you not going to beat us today?" A man who had warmed up to her called out, waving his hands to attract her attention.


    Xu Jiaqi''s brow twitched.


    ''What is with that wording??'' She walked towards him in a fast paced and grabbed his collar with ease with her newfound strength.


    Her body also seemed to have received the System''s blessing. It was fortified, and gained or accumulated strength much more easier. At least, by now, Xu Jiaqi was sure that even if she jumped off a cliff, she wouldn''t necessarily die, but will still sustain great wounds.


    "Don''t say it in a way that would make others misunderstand! What do you mean beating you? We are clearly just sparring! Why did it turn into me beating you all up?"


    "Don''t joke around! You know it best, in Xian Ruo, we use real swords to spar! Whenever you pull out your blades.. It sends me the chills that I wake up from my sleep sometimes to recall those moments. Ah, wait, come to think of it.. where did you get those from again?"


    "...It is simply something I know how to make. Magic is wondrous, so people like you, who hasn''t even taken his first step into the realms of magic yet shouldn''t be asking!"


    "Can I try using it? You know, you are actually a monster. No one has ever succeeded to learn magic, but you are able get yourself to the level you are right now. For God''s sake.. I don''t know if I should feel amazed or disturbed. Maybe a good mixture of both."


    "Hmm.. If it was any other normal sword, I would''ve lent it, but unfortunately, since I created these using my magic, it can''t be used by someone else. It''s bound to me securely. I paid a heavy price for these two that I still feel the pain of the process. What I had to go through


    Xu Jiaqi''s current story was that the twin swords were made using her magecraft, but were obviously something that couldn''t be reproduced. She made up a story of her having to pay a painful price. When looked in a certain perspective, the story wasn''t all that false. She obtained the blade after having spent a long time in her previous world, only to be fooled by the Goddess and having to suffer under the deranged fate.


    Thankfully, since no one was knowledgeable in magic, she was able to get away without any repercussion.. Instead, she got waves of sympathy over how good her acting was when she tried to look pitiful.

 Chapter 129 - 3.25

    As the days passed, came Lin''s periodical report to Xie Yongrui.


    She bowed to him, stealthily entering the premise with caution as to not get seen. Although she was known within her ranks as one of the elite ''Shadow Guards'' who were the closest to Xie Yongrui, in front of others, she was just another one of the skilled servants that were nurtured by Xie Yongrui.


    She kneeled down in an instant after meeting Xie Yongrui''s eyes. Upon getting permission to speak, she began to tell her gathered information.


    "My lord, as I attended to her, the lady had spoken about ''someone she respected''. After she became bedridden in that day''s incident, she pulled out twin blades out of nowhere, and her story about it was directed towards the influence of magic. I have watched her with keen eyes, and I suspect that the blades are suspended using some kind of advanced magic and is stored inside her body. I know that this might sound ridiculous, but I have thoroughly inspected her clothes whenever she took a bath after the training periods, and never did I encounter something that could possibly be a vassal of that sword. Any items that were coincidentally with her for the day weren''t seen the next time she uses it, so it should not be stored in an item." Lin reported with seriousness.


    In her mind, the lord would definitely ask questions about the sword. If he willed it, she might just have to take it away from Xu Jiaqi in one way or another, so she was mentally prepared for the order. Although during the time she had spent with Xu Jiaqi, she had certainly gotten closer to the mysterious young lady, it wasn''t that good of a relationship to step over her master''s wishes.


    However, to her surprise, something heavily unexpected occurred. The request did not come at all. In fact, the lord didn''t care about how Xu Jiaqi obtained and carried the powerful blades.


    "..Did you say someone she respected?" Instead of the sword, Xie Yongrui''s attention was placed on this aspect instead.


    Someone she respected. For Xu Jiaqi, who always spoke in a roundabout manner and didn''t use many truthful and caring words, this meant a lot.


    "...Yes, my lord, but the sword-" Lin tried to bring up the subject again, thinking that the lord might''ve somehow missed the point of it even though his mind was ever so brilliant.


    "I see.. someone Qiqi respected? Could it be.. it''s the one she wants to protect." Xie Yongrui clenched his fist and pursed his lips, his thoughts unknown as he sighed depressingly. All that he could think of right now was suspecting who on Earth got their hands on Qiqi before he did.


    He thought that he had thoroughly researched about her life from when she came down to the world, but of course, there were many obscure details that even the strongest person in the world wouldn''t be able to obtain. Xu Jiaqi''s birth and life was simply too murky and unclear.


    "What do you know about this person? Did Qiqi ever say something to describe them?" Xie Yongrui questioned, a bit anxious.


    "..The miss said that he had something to do with her magic, and how she was able to acquire it.. But honestly, I find it difficult to accept. There is no way a random man would just.. be able to do that, my lord. I reckon she wanted to hide her innate talent in magic as of now.. Maybe she wanted to keep her magic to herself, so she used that excuse." Lin hypothesized.


    "I see! An excuse... Hmm, Qiqi might do that. She thinks that magic is troublesome, but she uses it to better her arsenal when fighting. It''s understandable. I see, I see!" Xie Yongrui mumbled, happiness surging back inside his heart.


    "The sword...?" Lin was baffled as she heard the faint noises coming from the lord.


    Was the lord unable to hear what she was saying, or was he just not paying attention to her this whole time? It seemed like the part she uttered about the sword was all completely wiped out by him.. Or was it just in her head?


    "Lin, you are dismissed. Call Qiqi when you go back, tell her that I want to talk to her when she is done with her stuff."


    The lord waiting for his own subordinate... Lin had never heard such a thing be done. Did her lord get possessed? How come.. Xu Jiaqi''s existence made him do the unthinkable multiple times like that?


    What???!


    What about the sword??!


    "I.. I understand, my lord. I shall take my leave." Although she was laden with wariness, she knew not to defy him.


    The young lord who hid himself, trying to become a crouching dragon and wait until the time was right. Xie Yongrui was a dangerous presence, no matter how harmless and easygoing he wanted to appear in front of Xu Jiaqi.


    "..I wonder if Qiqi would hate it if I pried into her matters too much.. But I really want to chop off the head of this one she respects.. Ah, wait, no. I need to confirm what kind of relationship she has with that person first. The best way to do it without causing any misunderstandings is of course.. through Qiqi herself." Xie Yongrui smiled, calming down.


    As Xie Yongrui had his own epiphany and was excited at the thought of reuniting with the girl after some time had passed, the System, who was wandering around the realms to gather information for Xu Jiaqi was actually not fully doing his job. He was using this task as a shield to proceed with his own plans.


    There were several things that had to be noted about Xie Yongrui''s current condition. It was clear to him, the System, that the soul of that person had possessed the young lord''s body. He had some suspicions from the tutorial world, but in that world, he wasn''t that sure yet about both Xu Jiaqi''s soul and that being''s soul.


    But now that he no longer had any doubts, he was certain.


    However, what did that entail at the same time? It meant something dangerous.

 Chapter 130 - 3.26

    The soul. It was a very powerful being before the tragedies struck. Before fate hit and they had to be separated cruelly, not being able to touch their happy ending.


    But that being didn''t give up. He wanted to chase her. He wanted to get her back. No matter what the price was.


    The soul had to go through the currents of dimensional travel forcibly thanks to his decision, because of his peculiar condition and situation. Compared to Xu Jiaqi, who had the protection of the System and was supposed to transmigrate between worlds, he had no protection cast over him and just jumped in without thought for the one he desired.


    His braveness was in the range of pure stupidity. Not only will he have to bear the cost of defying fate itself, he was also dumb enough to try and chase down his Host even though he must''ve known that she would be protected by him, a System.


    If only his Host could steer away from that man, everything would be alright. But he knew that being''s tenacity all too well. How obsessed he was with Xu Jiaqi... No, the soul inside Xu Jiaqi.


    There was one major problem that he had to immediately take care of. Xie Yongrui''s fluctuating emotions, and the fact that he would have to go through countless memory wipe outs in order to follow Xu Jiaqi.


    Several memory wipe outs could not be good for any type of being. Not only will that soul''s entire existence be deteriorate, its emotions would also be significantly affected. He will be stuck in a spiral of not being able to recall, and yet having the ability to faintly remember the inklings of what he felt towards Xu Jiaqi.


    But this array of emotions will obviously be skewed.


    The emotions he recalled will only be the most extreme ones. This was part of the reason on why letting him get close to Xu Jiaqi was so absurd. For example, the madness he had for her. That sort of emotion will be preserved, and could be easily triggered. However, tame emotions like the feelings of boredom or sadness will not be registered because he rarely felt that with Xu Jiaqi''s soul.


    Thus, what will happen if that being''s soul only kept the strongest emotions on deck? Madness, pure love, worship, anything favorable in large amounts was still not that great. Not to mention, their effectiveness would amplify under the ranges of his condition.


    The more he travelled within space, the blinder he would be. One day, his soul''s true existence would completely evaporate, and leave him with no chances to do anything anymore. He couldn''t be destroyed because he was divine. But that didn''t mean he was invulnerable.


    The System was once plagued by the thought. If he just protected the Host well and let him self destruct. One day, he would finally be subjected to wandering the astral realms mindlessly. Then, it would be fine, and there would be no obstruction in the end.


    But if they were going through that path, the Host will eventually recover all her memories and realize what he, the System had done.


    When that time came, he wouldn''t know how to respond to her.


    In this story, they were both innocent. They were just bullied by fate, entangled with a bundle of bad luck that they couldn''t escape.


    Thus, he wanted to try out a second option. An option that could secure a happy ending. For that to happen, he needed them to separate for a moment. Perhaps one or two worlds. That was enough for him to fulfill his purpose.


    [I need to check the records. I need to hurry.. before that man catches on as well.] The System was heavily stressed. How on Earth was he supposed to fix this situation completely?


    At least a few casualties will have to be made, but it would all be worth it... right?


    He wanted to scream his lungs out, but it was just wasting time. He needed to move as quickly as possible and yield the results. He had to protect Xu Jiaqi.


    Of course, the person herself stayed in the dark about all of this information.


    _______


    Time trickled away like water. Xu Jiaqi wasn''t that keen on counting the time she had spent, but a lot of time had passed.


    It neared one year, almost. And the main problem that she was worried about still stayed true.


    Ever since she sent off the System to gather information, he never came back. Not even a report was sent back after the first few data he dropped off. Now that Xu Jiaqi looked at them, she noticed that it was enough for her to form her own hypothesis after reading them, and get her plans up and going without his input.


    But his disappearance worried him. It was all too coincidental. He clearly didn''t leave her unintentionally. He had a plan or something in hand, and he went to finish it without telling anything to her.


    Xu Jiaqi frowned as she rubbed her eyes, getting up from her comfortable bed and yawning.


    Today, too, the System wasn''t there to respond to her when she called his name.


    "System... When you come back- Ahh, never mind, never mind. I shouldn''t resort to threats. It became a habit after I switched jobs." Xu Jiaqi complained.


    She got ready for the day as always, and headed to work. Her ''work'' was very peculiar, she had an array of different tasks to do. Legal and illegal ones, all of it were the same in Xu Jiaqi''s eyes.


    That was why, today, she had just cracked another person''s neck to the point of no return. No signs of life could be spotted on her target''s body.


    "..I don''t like violence, just so you know." Xu Jiaqi chuckled as she sat down on top of the person she had just subdued. "But.. when someone like you tries to seek death on your own.. It''s really a shame, but I need to eradicate and hide your body before someone comes here.. Hays, heavy work, heavy work."


    Although she was complaining, there was a brilliant smile plastered over her face. So shining that one might think she was just a little girl who was playing around, not a bloodied person who dragged a heinous body around while looking for a place to dump it at.


    As she hummed a beautiful tone, trying to uplift her mood.. A noise started.


    "Hey there, young miss!" A cheery voice appeared out of nowhere.

 Chapter 131 - 3.27

    Xu Jiaqi''s danger senses were immediately triggered. She had devoted herself to training endlessly for all these time, but she was still unable to sense this person''s arrival. Panic washed over her mind. There was one other person who she never got to sense without him deliberately giving out his presence, and that was Xie Yongrui.


    Who on Earth was able to replicate that kind of thing...? What kind of monster?


    "Who is there?! Show yourself!" Using the trajectory from where the voice came from, Xu Jiaqi took out a hidden dagger stored under her skirt and hurled it over.


    However, instead of hearing her shot land, she was pulled backwards by a strong force. Her collar was gripped, and she was lifted upwards.


    Her stature was still rather small for a fifteen years old because she was mistreated for so long, leading to her growth being stunted. She was rendered unable to move by this strange person''s grip.


    Her face paled. How could she get caught this early? This was outside of the estate, and she was just about to go back after finishing her job in cleaning up some pesky bugs who didn''t know what was good for them.


    "W-who are you?" Xu Jiaqi asked hastily.


    Xu Jiaqi''s body was turned around. She then saw the figure of a handsome young man donned in a pretty blue clothing. Elegance was exuding from every single inch of his body, and the harmless smile present on his face did not make it any better to form an angelic image.


    ''I don''t recognize this face, but if it was someone dangerous.. Would they really reveal themselves in front of me like this?'' Xu Jiaqi frowned.


    "Young miss, you are really a peculiar one. I thought that you were being bullied by this person when I saw you faced with them, but when I got closer, it turned out that you were massacring them instead."


    With one hand, he held Xu Jiaqi. With the other, he shrugged casually, as if what had just happened was as simple as inhaling oxygen from me.


    "What a shame. I missed the chance to become a gallant knight for this pretty miss." He laughed heartily.


    "..I don''t need your protection. I have sufficient skills to protect myself." Xu Jiaqi pursed her lips, taking a spare dagger from under her clothes and releasing herself from his grip. She jumped a few steps backwards, being extremely hostile towards this stranger.


    "Oh? But didn''t you just get caught by me? Is that what you call sufficient skills? Then, I think you should reform that idea a lot. If you are planning to serve under that prince with that kind of power, you won''t be able to help him that much in the end." He replied, as if he knew everything about Xu Jiaqi.


    "What.. Who are you to say that? What do you know?"


    "I know who you are. I have taken a look into your.. Hmm... Odd jobs? And the results I obtained were particularly very colorful. You really are a jack of all trades, are you not? Scrambling around to all those fields, achieving great results in all of them.. Just for that prince kid."


    "Why are you helping that prince? Are you indebted to him just because he saved you from that slum life of yours? If that''s the case, then I kind of want to direct yourself to me... How about this? What Xie Yongrui offers you, I will give you the same amount.. A hundred- no, a thousand times. I can give you anything you could think up of that exists in this world."


    Xu Jiaqi rolled her eyes. It was easy to say such a thing, but what if she made an extremely absurd request? For example..


    "I want the Emperor''s head. The death of Huo Jingshen. Can you bring that to me?" Xu Jiaqi questioned, waiting to get a negative answer.


    "Hahah! A daring request. That might be a bit hard. My principles makes it so that if you want to make an exchange with me, then you must present me with something equal or containing more worth than mine. What can you offer to me in exchange for the Emperor''s head exactly?" The man answered.


    By his words, it meant that he did have the power to execute that figure. He just did not want to do it.


    Xu Jiaqi was using all of her brain power to try and figure out exactly who this person is. A strong figure with lots of authority from his words. Then, there was only a few options. A high ranking noble from the Empire with enough influence to contend with the Imperial line, or the Kings governing over their lands.


    The first seemed more likely, but the answer turned out to not be that.


    "First, tell me who you are." Xu Jiaqi calmly interrogated said man.


    "Me? I am the King of the Xi Kingdom. Zheng Jianyu, my subordinate, is the one you have been handling in your business explorations. It''s nice to finally meet you, lady advisor. You have been working hard to better the relationship of this land with the other parts of the world.. Except the Empire. The reason.. should be painfully obvious, correct?" Without giving much thought, he readily revealed his identity, which made Xu Jiaqi surprised.


    "Why would the literal King be here? Don''t joke around, who are you really?" With loads of suspicion, Xu Jiaqi crossed her arms and prepared to attack at any given moment. It was rather clear that this person was stronger than her, but she still had to try, right?


    "Ao? Can''t a King take a casual vacation? I just wanted to peek into this land for a bit after seeing how fast it started to grow.. after the appearance of a certain young miss. I am sure that you are painfully aware of who the lady I am talking about is."


    "...State your purpose for coming here.." Xu Jiaqi took out a blade and pointed it towards the other.

 Chapter 132 - 3.28

    The ''King'' instantly held both of his hands up in a defensive position. In truth, he hadn''t planned to engage in a hostile encounter at all. His goal was to be in friendly terms with Xian Ruo''s infamous delegate who recently soared into fame after her contributions were relayed on from one person to another.


    The Empire might not have heard the full story about this girl''s achievements yet, but he, as a direct ruler of the land this girl was trying to contact, knew it well. This person''s talent was also noted by his meticulous subordinate, Zheng Jianyu.


    At first, Zheng Jianyu''s relation to the Xian Ruo County was related to Xie Yongrui, who wished to have a trade route built to his land in order to better both sides. But now, every time Zheng Jianyu went to report to him about the ongoing situation, his mouth would be full of the name Xu Jiaqi when he discussed about Xian Ruo.


    Naturally, after hearing the same name come out of this exemplary subordinate for so long, the King began to form an interest as well. That interest was relayed on today, when he met this girl who turned out to be the one he was looking for as he entered the lands.


    "...What a great coincidence. It must be fate." He mumbled. It just so happened that as he entered Xian Ruo, Xu Jiaqi was conveniently in the outskirts of the land taking care of bugs.


    "What did you say?" Xu Jiaqi raised a brow as his volume was too low, and what he said didn''t transmit through to her ears.


    "..Ah, well, I suppose you would be wary. But.. Well, I just wanted to say that if you were thinking that I would want to cause harm over this land, then you are sorely mistaken. I am only here to scout.. Well, not really. I also took an interest into the sparkling lady that took the world on fire in such a short period of time. I wanted to see how great the actual thing is."


    "Your interest is not welcome, unfortunately. Please go back this very instant. Or else, you would have to settle a meeting with the lord first, not just coming in and approaching me like this. Do you understand?"


    Xu Jiaqi had to strengthen her stance before anything went wrong. However, instead of cooperating, the other''s gaze instantly turned sour. The mood worsened with each passing second, and a tense and gloomy atmosphere enveloped them.


    "...I thought that I would be kind, but.. little lady, do you understand what Xian Ruo''s position is? Oh, well, you of all people should know best who I am described as. You might be skeptical because of how I act, but this isn''t how I normally go around people, you know? For Xian Ruo.. offending someone like me right off the bat will definitely kill off any chance of survival from this point on."  He glared rather scarily, but it wasn''t in a threatening manner. Hints of playfulness was still there, lurking around.


    It made Xu Jiaqi want to drop her guard down, but she resisted it and woke herself up.


    "What are you implying? You stated that you are here to scout. You have already seen me. Do you want me to order around a fancy carriage for you to tour our lands? If that is what you wish, then don''t speak in such a roundabout manner and come with me to Xian Ruo''s center so we can arrange this." Xu Jiaqi massaged her temples, feeling a headache come into her pitiful hectic life.


    The arrival of this strange person will definitely impact her. The matter to be considered here is about the impact''s orientation. Whether it would be a negative or positive change.


    Of course, she had to do her best to lead it to the positive section.


    "Alright~" The man in question happily smiled, as if he wasn''t in the wrong in the slightest from coming out of his own accord like this. He wanted to get closer to Xu Jiaqi, but before he was able to take any step further, he was stopped by Xu Jiaqi.


    "But before that.. I think I have to check your identity first. Do you have anything that could prove your status as the King of Xi? That would make my job easier. Even if I am the consultant or advisor, I can''t just bring someone foreign without no explanation. It would risk not only mine, but everyone''s safety."


    "Yep! My golden seal.. Let''s see.. Ding dong! Will this suffice?" Xie Yongrui dangled a tassel that had a hexagonal emblem with carvings of the word Xi on it.


    Xu Jiaqi took the object away and observed it, confirming its originality with her skills. After some checking, she admitted that it did seem to be authentic. It was too intricate and detailed, she could feel the quality surging from it.


    "...Okay. I will lead you to the place I live. Don''t cause any fuss while you are in Xian Ruo. The fact that you are a King doesn''t exempt you from the rules that revolves around this land. Understand? If you don''t, then I will be leaving you here." Xu Jiaqi shook her head.


    "Mhm, that will not be a problem. I am just here to have an innocent vacation, alright? You don''t need to be so pressed! Also.. my title as a King, don''t you have to drop that when we are in public? Call me Yuan. He Yiyuan is my name."


    He Yiyuan, the dragon from Xi. There was no one in the whole wide world who has never heard of his name even once. The famous King who brought the land into the peak of prosperity with his clever and wild antics.


    This type of person.. Will she be safe hanging around him?


    "..Yuan it is, then. I shall call you that when we are out, but do remember that it doesn''t mean anything."


    This time, both He Yiyuan and Xu Jiaqi laughed at the same time.

 Chapter 133 - 3.29

    Xu Jiaqi had an internal conflict as she thought about her next action. Facing this esteemed figure was like treading on a pit of fire when she didn''t know that much about him. She did expect the rulers to take interest in her, but not this early. She was just starting out in carrying her plans after preparing her strength and ideas until it was ripe.


    How was this King already here?


    "I''m going to say this just in case you think of absurd things, but I am going to stick with my lord through and through. I have pledged my allegiance to him, and it is just the fate''s will that we weren''t able to encounter each other before I met him." Xu Jiaqi reminded.


    "Is that so? Are you sure? I can give you what you are working so hard for right now in an instant. I value you and your ability, and I think that you can do very well in my side. After all, if my prized counselor, Zheng Jianyu himself approved of you, then I don''t think I need to do anything much at all."


    ''So it was Zheng Jianyu?'' Xu Jiaqi bit her lips.


    She had worked for a cooperation with the Xi Kingdom because she saw it as the most plausible business connection considering their standings. Although the Xi Kingdom was a big powerhouse, they weren''t ones that actively partook in the other powers'' conditions. They were just there, doing their own thing and thriving because they had all the resources in the world. They were disgustingly rich, and knowing that advantage, they rose up even more day by day.


    To think that Zheng Jianyu viewed her so high up that he went to tell He Yiyuan about her existence was a little bit surprising, considering the surplus of talented people he had in hand.


    "I am not someone who doesn''t know how to repay a favor. Because he gave a platform to me and trusted me enough that he would give me authority in his own land, I am able to rise to where I am right now. Without his approval, I wouldn''t have been able to offer up a meeting with Zheng Jianyu in the first place. Given the situation, you wouldn''t have met me in the place my lord discovered me in." Xu Jiaqi scorned the man. "Could you still confidently say that you want to buy me out of Xian Ruo?"


    He Yiyuan stilled. For that split second, he ran out of words to counter her. Because what Xu Jiaqi said was true. Without Xie Yongrui and his eyes, that recognized Xu Jiaqi''s worth without her even showing herself doing anything substantial at all, they would''ve never met today at all. He would still be in his palace, doing his daily routine.


    Albeit Xie Yongrui''s motive of bringing Xu Jiaqi into his estate being that of his feelings and emotions, sparked by a spiritual connection, it was still due to his decision that Xu Jiaqi had this outlet in her hands right now.


    "Listen, maybe some people are just born different. People have different tastes and interests, and levels of satisfaction. I can say that being here in Xian Ruo satisfies me, and nothing will stop me from bringing this place to the farthest glory I can reach. That is my goal, that I formed out of my own volition." Knowing that He Yiyuan was silenced, she sighed and concluded.


    "..Stubborn, eh? Well, if that''s the case, then I can do nothing about it. There''s nothing good that will come out of me hiring you forcibly, if you''re not going to work for me sincerely. Just stick to that prince all you want. I don''t know why you are so fixated on him, but I guess.. That''s just his lucky stroke of fortune." He Yiyuan clicked his tongue, finally giving up on the matter. Xu Jiaqi was someone who would keep her word, and she seemed dead set on her decision.


    In truth, what Xu Jiaqi had been saying were not all made out of her true feelings. The reason she wanted to stick to Xie Yongrui, instead of pursuing her missions using He Yiyuan''s help, was because she resonated with Xie Yongrui and knew that he had traces of Zenith Ahgren lingering around him. She wanted to find out more about this matter, so she planned to keep herself beside him.


    If not for that, screw Xie Yongrui. If she was in the side of He Yiyuan, she should be able to administer much larger plans. Elevating her status from that point on would be a rather easy deal.


    "..This one thanks your Highness for being understanding." Xu Jiaqi made a salute and offered it up to him. Deep inside, she felt a bit bitter. He Yiyuan''s proposal was great, so great that she considered the offer. However, finding out more about her true identity was much more important.


    "Woah, woah, why the sudden formality?" He Yiyuan tilted his head and coughed, clearing up his throat.


    "You have done something that earned my respect, so naturally I should relay that sentiment in actions. If you are kind and accommodating to me, I wouldn''t wrong you." Xu Jiaqi gave a curious stare to the man.


    Inside her heart, she felt relieved that he actually conceded this easily and was able to think with logic.


    Her vast experience have led to her meeting people who stuck up their noses every single second after achieving some form of success that could only be considered mediocre by her. These people, albeit not being that amazing, were the most troublesome of all. She thought that this person would be the same, seeing as he was the ruler of Xi, who were known to be rather.. eccentric in the sense that they loved to scatter money and show their pride: boundless wealth.


    Thankfully, this He Yiyuan was someone who used their brains. It wasn''t wrong for people to have spoken up for his greatness.. If it was just propaganda, Xu Jiaqi would''ve been in some trouble.

 Chapter 134 - 3.30

    "..Hmm, really? I''ve earned your respect this easily? You know, little lady, what if I turn back on my words?" He Yiyuan began to have ideas of testing the girl, feeling a bit mischievous.


    "Appropriate measures will be taken by then. I am someone who is able to judge people extremely well. I don''t think that you are that bad of a human being. At the very least, you have decency. Your country has also been quite supportive to my plans, so I don''t plan on breaking that connection this soon in the game. I still have a long road to go through." Xu Jiaqi briefly explained her take.


    "Ahah! I see.. That''s how it is. Your point of view is rather interesting. Well, that aside, lady advisor, my plan on spending some time in Xian Ruo was not just a ruse to meet you. I did plan on doing so, since my subordinate has taken some interest in this peculiar land.. I became rather curious on what you guys could offer. I hope I am not being intrusive?"


    "..Absolutely not. Since you are being serious, then I will proceed with the necessary accommodation. Would you like to follow me to the center right now, or do you want to go by yourself? Either way is fine with me."


    After the pressing situation had calmed down, Xu Jiaqi actually felt like He Yiyuan was not a bad person. She should treat him with courtesy, considering how they would be further acquainted with each other should the business treaty go well.


    "I will go on by myself. Lady advisor, you can return to your own thing now, I want to have a look at the surroundings before I formally enter Xian Ruo. Please do not fret, I won''t do anything dangerous, so won''t you keep my arrival as a secret for the time being?" He Yiyuan launched a wink towards Xu Jiaqi''s way.


    "..Haa, I will get into trouble if this gets out, you know? But well.. I doubt that you would do anything silly. You are carrying the name of Xi with you, and according to your principles, it''s just not worth it to harm Xian Ruo out of nowhere. Correct me if I am wrong." Xu Jiaqi stated.


    "You are right! Which is why, my request will go through, right?"


    "Yes, I will make an exception just this once."


    Rather than having to deal with irksome trouble, Xu Jiaqi would rather back out right now.


    After receiving the input from He Yiyuan and exchanging some words, Xu Jiaqi bid her goodbyes and left the vicinity.


    He Yiyuan, who was left behind dropped his jolly smile and snickered.


    "..Me, being called a decent person? Well, that''s new..." He Yiyuan stretched his limbs, eliciting a low grunt at the feel of his muscles stretching.


    "Your Highness, she only got to see you from this first meeting''s perspective. If she saw how unprofessional and unkempt you are at a daily basis, would she say the same thing?" A voice rose out of nowhere.


    If Xu Jiaqi was still here to sit back and listen, she would recognize that voice in a heartbeat.


    "Ouch. Your words sting, Jianyu. When are you going to fix your mouth, Devil?"


    Zheng Jianyu had actually been there the whole time. Being the most trusted subordinate of He Yiyuan, he did not just possess skills relating to money, but rather also had his fair share of fighting experience. In addition to that, Xu Jiaqi was very distracted by He Yiyuan, and all her focus was placed on him at the time of their conversation. All of that contributed to how Zheng Jianyu''s presence went unnoticed.


    "I apologize, my way with words have been like this for as long as I can remember. How can I change it on my will?" Zheng Jianyu brushed off some dust from his clothing, as he had been hiding in a rather obscure and dusty place.


    "Really, what should I do in this situation~? I want that girl on my side, but... Part of why she is so interesting is exactly her attitude towards paving her way to glory. I suppose I should let her shine for now, hm? What do you think about her, Jianyu?"


    "She is obviously a brilliant seed. Considering her background, I find it rather.. disturbing that a figure like her was able to spurt out, but that is besides the point. I believe that she would be a great asset to us.. Do you not want to just steal her outright after all?"


    He Yiyuan broke into a fit of laughter. "No. You have kept an eye on her, right? You should know that she isn''t the type of person who would tolerate being ordered around. Even if we offered her the best conditions, if she wants to stick to Xie Yongrui, then she would not back down at all."


    "But again, coming from where she is, won''t she desire a lavish lifestyle? We should show her what glory truly is. You and I share the same views. Glory isn''t physical strength, or pointless political facades like the Empire. Glory is wealth, and the life you are able to afford with said assets." Zheng Jianyu mused.


    "..What if she isn''t the little slum girl, the Xu Jiaqi whose background we dug into?"


    He Yiyuan''s gaze shifted, and he clenched his fist which had once grabbed onto Xu Jiaqi''s collar.


    "What are you implying? Are you actually having doubts about our information channels? The one that even the Empire''s people flocks up to?" Zheng Jianyu sneered.


    "I don''t know~ Jianyu, what are good points about me?" He Yiyuan asked in a playful manner.


    "Huh? Your looks, your speed in finishing your work so that you can freely roam about uselessly, your charisma... Are you trying to make me praise you? You should just say it outright, I will have a list of mouthwatering praises ready for tomorrow."


    "No, no, no. If you had to name one, what is the most outstanding quality within me?" He Yiyuan scratched his face. Zheng Jianyu''s ability to speak was really uncalled for. Who allowed him to speak this bravely?


    Oh right, he was the one who gave permission to him.


    "..Your scary intuition and perception?" Zheng Jianyu raised a brow, not getting what He Yiyuan was trying to say.. It wasn''t like him to speak like this.

 Chapter 135 - 3.31

    "Mhmm~ And, if I told you that Xu Jiaqi is someone we should watch out for?" He Yiyuan chuckled lowly.


    "Xu Jiaqi? Is she even a force to be reckoned with? You were the one who told me that nothing beats wealth. Just by looking at the fact that she is trying to strike a deal with us is already indirectly implying that she needs us in order to flourish. How can you say that we should watch out for her?" Zheng Jianyu did acknowledge Xu Jiaqi as a capable person, and told the King about her because she was young and could be poached early.


    There were not many who possessed the qualities Xu Jiaqi had shown him right off the bat, and her eloquency added on to her charms were the ones who made Zheng Jianyu be motivated to try and seek her out.


    But it wasn''t to the point where he was concerned about her. However, his King is now saying that she should be watched?


    "Jianyu, my suu~per scary intuition tells me that the little lady is going to be the one who causes a huge stir in the world.. And her best position really is in Xian Ruo. So, your proposal of me obtaining her is unfortunately declined. Our move is... going to be just staying by the side and watching them. We could support them as well, but don''t let us get involved in the currents of things before everything calms down. That way, even if the girl''s conquest is over, we are still going to survive healthily." He Yiyuan assessed. "My intuition is never wrong, and I heavily doubt that it would malfunction this time around. We must thrive in the upcoming turbulence, Jianyu."


    "..Glory to the Dragon of Xi." Zheng Jianyu kneeled on the ground and lowered his head. Although he didn''t completely understand He Yiyuan''s point, if there was something to be noted about his relationship with the King, it was that he respected him for how competent he was at fields that he couldn''t reach.


    He only served under the man because he admired him, knowing how dangerous the man actually was behind his seemingly jolly attitude.


    All the while, He Yiyuan was staring into the far distance and mumbling some incoherent words.


    "Rise, Jianyu. We must make our own moves as well. We can''t lose against this race of time. We will reap all the benefits, as always." He Yiyuan laughed as he clapped, gesturing for the other to get back up from his sudden stance.


    Zheng Jianyu did as told and stared off into the vast scenery. They were at the pinnacle of a rather tall hill, and they were able to peek into the Xian Ruo County''s condition in one sight. Xian Ruo wasn''t particularly large, but it was a beautiful piece of land. They were able to see people of various backgrounds come together and thrive in the community.


    And the one who sits in the middle of it all was the center piece of the land, Xie Yongrui''s estate. Next to his personal chamber was his advisor''s own chamber, which demonstrated how close their relationships were.


    Was there a need for anything else to be said?


    "..It''s really a shame. If only there was a way to turn back time.. That day,  she met you, right? Along with Xie Yongrui. Maybe, if you got to her first, using any means.. She would''ve been on our side. But that is all just wishful thinking now."


    "..My King, it''s not too late. If you desire so, I can do the dirty work for you."


    "No. We shouldn''t take that path. It''ll lead to misfortune." He Yiyuan decided that it was time to stop pointlessly looking over the state and turned around. "Let us depart for the center tomorrow. For today, I want to taste the life in Xian Ruo."


    "Is it because you want to forge a plan for us?" Zheng Jianyu questioned.


    He Yiyuan sighed heavily, turning to look at Zheng Jianyu in the eyes with regret lacing them all over.


    "Am I not allowed to live like a normal person should, Jianyu? Don''t you already know the reason I built my Kingdom on top of wealth? It''s to enjoy life. If I can''t even indulge in that, then what was the point of working so hard to be King?" He Yiyuan jumped off the tall hill, followed by Zheng Jianyu, who didn''t say anything more.


    The topic of He Yiyuan''s past was a sensitive one that he dared not touch. It was best to keep it sealed for years to no end, as opening it would only be akin to unlocking a Pandora''s box.


    The reason why the land of Xi was formed, and how He Yiyuan became known to be the infamous Dragon.


    The figure who motivated him to do so and continue living even after all these years. If not for that lasting memory that they both shared that day, would his King.. no, his best friend be standing beside him right now?


    The chances of that happening would be low.


    For that, Zheng Jianyu was always thankful towards that figure that they both held dear to their hearts. The one whose life was lost in the tragedy that day. The blood splattering all over them, and the last memory of her being that of a tragic smile with the expression of relief cast on her face. The painful truth cascaded and sunk into their hearts, becoming a painful memory that served as a reminder to them forever and after.


    He Yiyuan and him were equals in the sense that they rose from the same path, and worked together to reach the point they were in right now. Both of them were fragile, yet strong. Becoming the ''Dragon of Xi'' or the ''Devil''s Scale'' was never their plan in the first place. They just wanted to prove a point. To the world, to themselves, and to that woman who sacrificed herself so that they could live.


    The mark etched within their hearts were their weaknesses, but there was no longer anybody who knew of that incident. Because when it all happened, they were nothing but normal children who had long to live for.


    But alas, it was those times that made them the current them.

 Chapter 136 - 3.32

    The past forged them and carved their delicate qualities, polished them into brightly shining diamonds that were now known to the public as the wise King and his faithful servant. No one knew the long past that stood behind them, and no one needed to know. Those were all buried six feet under, and the murky scent of death was masked with tranquility which the land of Xi now held.


    "Xu Jiaqi alone will not be enough. And it''s not even her purpose to hold the throne. She is going to give it to Xie Yongrui, but not out of grace and paying her debts.. But because she wants to sit behind the throne, working everything from behind the scenes." He Yiyuan spoke.


    "Is that another of your perception?" Zheng Jianyu raised a brow. He Yiyuan having such strong and vocal points about Xu Jiaqi meant that there really was something going on with the girl, enough to shake this man up to this point.


    "Mhm. And it shall eventually happen."


    "...As you say." Zheng Jianyu nodded, pulling over the hood of his robe.


    No matter what happens, they will survive and thrive on.


    ______


    Xu Jiaqi returned to her quarters, and was met with Lin, who informed her that Xie Yongrui had called for her presence in his chambers.


    Hearing this, Xu Jiaqi was not surprised. She quickly took a casual bath, dipping herself in hot water that she was able to efficiently draw out with the help of the other talented human beings who inhabited Xian Ruo.


    Xian Ruo was growing under her control in a rapid pace. Rather than being afraid of her, Xie Yongrui was someone who would show a proud smile every time her name was mentioned to him with a favorable light shining over her.


    Xu Jiaqi unconsciously let out a smile. Perhaps it was because she was fond of the thought that Xie Yongrui was like this because he was the one she looked for. The soul that had a connection with her.


    It made her wonder. Even if Xie Yongrui was indeed the one, what was she going to do? Surely, she can''t possibly tweak the reality to her own advantage. She didn''t love the other soul, but a part of her heart was moved. By the acts of Zenith, and by how this same soul managed to crawl back into her current world and meet up with her again.


    She never had any expectations towards having love. It was all just a scheme for her to achieve desirable results at the very end. Nothing else.


    But could that someday change? To her, love was nothing but a devious emotion that would drag her down to the depths of hell. For love, people could be so extreme to the point of no return. She couldn''t relate to that sort of feeling. She had never experience such intense emotions.


    That was, until her dreams started playing in. In each scene, she would be washed up with extreme sensations. So real that she was stricken with every single tingling thought of it actually happening to her. Memories of heartbreak, pain, happiness, tragedy, everything mixed up together made her want to escape from it all.


    But the dreams never stopped. Even as Xu Jiaqi told the System about it, the dreams just kept on rolling. There was no stop for it, as if it was a painful series to remind her of something she forgot. Something important about herself.


    Drowned in her thoughts momentarily, Xu Jiaqi soon snapped out and went to see Xie Yongrui after finishing her bath. The reeking smell of blood vanished from her body, and she portrayed elegance as she wore a gorgeous, yet simple dress made out of the finest silk.


    Xie Yongrui especially liked it when she dressed up, and loathed it when Xu Jiaqi couldn''t hide the clear exhaustion she faced even with her acting. He didn''t want to see her suffer, but she constantly threw herself into danger.


    Because it didn''t pose any harm, Xu Jiaqi thought that entertaining the idea would be alright. She would tidy herself up before showing herself in front of him, but the man would always have a saddened expression. It was because he knew that she must''ve gone around and placed herself in dangerous positions yet again.


    Thus, she headed towards Xie Yongrui''s locations with practiced steps. Observing the nearby surroundings while departing. Seeing all the lush plants sway left to right due to the gust of strong wind that attacked.


    Soon, she would be able to move about and finally begin her path to paving Xie Yongrui''s rise. To her, it was all just a simple chess game involving the many countries, it wasn''t that much of a big deal.


    They were lowkey right now. Not hiding, but not showing up at the same time. The world did not know about their movements in detail, but they knew about their existence.


    Xu Jiaqi strutted in confidence, and soon reached Xie Yongrui''s location. She knocked lightly on the door, and slid the entrance open. Immediately, the figure of a calm lord showed up. Her eyes curved up and showed a flash of tenderness without her noticing.


    "How have you been, my lord? I have returned." Xu Jiaqi entered and gently sat down next to him, latching her hands onto his arm, which was holding a teapot to serve the two of them tea.


    Where else would a lord be personally serving their servant tea, which they brewed themself?


    "I have been.. not so great. Really, it seems like you are avoiding me on purpose. I hope that I''m wrong, but.. how come you always choose to do missions that are far away from the estate? You are supposed to be my consultant, but it doesn''t feel that way at all. You''re almost never here except for the times that I summoned you. What do you have to say about that, dearest advisor?" Xie Yongrui scoffed jokingly.


    "I just have been very busy, my lord. You are overthinking it. Why would I avoid you?" Xu Jiaqi smiled as she draped a long shawl that she brought along with her around her body. "It''s cold, and the wind is heavy.. Winter is near, my lord."

 Chapter 137 - 3.33

    Winter was coming, and considering that this was not the modern era, but rather the olden times where people commonly suffered under the harsh conditions of the season, Xu Jiaqi had to be busied by this factor.


    "We have to prepare for the worst case scenario. Xian Ruo.. really isn''t the most blessed land ever. It''s hard to manage, but I am doing my best. It''s part of the reason on why I''m so plagued with work nowadays." Xu Jiaqi justified herself.


    "Winter or what not, my people isn''t as weak as that. Losing to winter? There is no way that would happen." Xie Yongrui was not a kind Samaritan, nor was he a demon.  His decisions were taken out of logical thinking, and there was no way that the people he allowed into his land would be incompetent. Since they weren''t a widely known land, it was still easy to control the population that circulated around.


    In fact, it would be fine to say that Xian Ruo was more like an organization rather than anything.


    "..Yes. Although there might not be deaths, I am just trying to keep the condition as contained as possible. There is no telling when a big disaster might strike. The lord must already know that I am working day in and day out to better this land. If this winter goes bad, then there''s a possibility that the growth that I have been trying to maintain will be stunted. It would be horrifying." Xu Jiaqi explained.


    Although most of Xian Ruo''s population were people who worked for Xie Yongrui, there were also families of these same people who would definitely suffer. Their numbers were not that many, so Xu Jiaqi was confident in keeping them in check, safe and healthy for this winter.


    "I know, Qiqi. But sometimes, I worry about your wellbeing. You are still so young, shouldn''t you relax a bit? You talk all day about preserving these lives that might someday be of use to me.. But to me, you are the most useful. Not in the sense that you work for me all day long, but because I treasure you."


    "My lord, if you talk like that, people will misunderstand. Besides, ladies my age have already been married away or suffered more or less the same fate, waiting for their life to be constrained. I consider myself very lucky to have fallen under your rule. And the fact that I don''t have any family to sell me off also helps. Not only that... isn''t the lord also very young? Why aren''t you stopping yourself?" Xu Jiaqi complained.


    By saying that, Xu Jiaqi indirectly admitted that she did not take Xu Yan, her birth mother as her family. Xu Yan was still thriving in the night district, but never once did the original Xu Jiaqi get to see her after the first few times she was visited by Xu Yan before getting abandoned for good.


    This was where the saying that ''every child deserves parents, but not all parents deserve children.''


    Especially in a crude era like this, where child protection laws were not very well established. Not to mention those protecting children, even some of the most basic and needed laws were not yet placed.


    Xie Yongrui''s gaze darkened. "It would be better if everyone misunderstood. Then, I could justify keeping you not as a servant, but as my equal. My men.. I heard that they approved you. You really are quick on your feet. It hasn''t even been that long of a time, but you have already established your position."


    "It''s a given that I am able to do such things. If not, I shouldn''t even be here."


    "Qiqi, what kind of- Could you please stop talking about yourself in such a manner?" Xie Yongrui had a pleading face as he brought the girl closer and held her hands in worry.


    "I am merely speaking the truth, my lord. There is not much good that can come out of my background. If it wasn''t for me getting taken here and having the chance to prove my worth.. Who knows where I will be right now? At worst, I would be in the afterlife. Or.. at someone''s mercy, with nothing to my name but an insufferable fate. It''s only up to myself and my decisions to create honor for myself."


    Mirth filled her eyes. Of course, this was all part of her act, but the genuine reaction that she offered would make anybody believe her if she didn''t tell them herself.


    Xie Yongrui gritted his teeth. He couldn''t take her speaking of herself in such a manner anymore. He went to her side, sighing as he pulled her in for a hug and pet her head multiple times in an attempt to calm her down.


    "...What is this, my lord? Are you trying to console me?" Xu Jiaqi asked with a chuckle. "I don''t need consolations. All that matters is that I am here, right now, in your embrace. Rather than being all sad about it, shouldn''t we rejoice?"


    "Rejoice, what rejoice? Just let us savor this moment for a bit longer. Can you do that for me?"


    "Certainly. If that is what you will for, then so be it." Xu Jiaqi smiled.


    "..I don''t want it to be my choice. I want it to be because of you, because you chose it yourself. I want you to value yourself more, because you are a star. A true treasure." Xie Yongrui looked at her seriously.


    "..I understand."


    The atmosphere was heavy, and Xie Yongrui''s feelings were being unraveled, one chapter at a time. One scene to play in their lives.


    In the end, Xu Jiaqi departed after having exchange various matters with the other. Beginning from light matters, to the fortification of their plans.


    Xu Jiaqi continued her duties as always from there, working to complete her mission without the System''s presence coming around with her.


    Xu Jiaqi sighed as she laid on the bed. The necessary information were all transferred to her before he left.


    What did he long to do? So much that he left without a word?

 Chapter 138 - 3.34

    The next day, Xu Jiaqi woke up to a rather frantic knock in the door.


    "Miss Xu! There is someone looking for you. It''s- the Dragon of Xi has visited us, saying that he seeks your company!"


    ''...That fast? I thought he said he would be roaming around first..'' Xu Jiaqi was still sleepy when the subordinate came to interrupt her sleep, so she was rather absent minded as she thought about the situation, trying to judge it with composure.


    Xu Jiaqi let out a long sigh as she nodded towards the subordinate who came. "I will go there right now. Thank you for informing me."


    Xu Jiaqi rushed to get ready and presented herself in front of the others in the shortest time possible.


    He Yiyuan had been escorted to the main hall, and many eyes were secretly watching him as he casually stood in his position, humming a happy tune as he waited for the one he sought to appear.


    Then, her figure finally came forward amidst all the other ones.


    "Really, were you that excited to meet me? I''m grateful, but how could you be so rash as to knock on the front door?" Xu Jiaqi leaned against the entrance of the hall He Yiyuan was casually standing in, sighing as she walked closer towards him and greeted him properly.


    Although they had a rather peculiar first encounter, He Yiyuan was still a King, and the closeness that they temporarily displayed last time couldn''t be done this time around.


    "Why? Do you think I should''ve went through the back door instead? Wouldn''t that be just the same as declaring that I am afraid of facing Xian Ruo?" He Yiyuan snickered.


    "You and your meaningless pride... I understand. I shall be your guide for the rest of the time you spend here. Are you content with that, or do you pose a different idea?" Xu Jiaqi massaged her temples and said. "The fact that you announced my name directly.. Haah, I would''ve preferred it if you thought about me a bit more."


    Xu Jiaqi did say for  him to refer to her when he reached here, but she didn''t expect him to directly tell her to come out.


    "Hmm... I would love that. Please take care of me, lady advisor." He Yiyuan maintained his innocent look, as if he did nothing wrong and he hadn''t heard a single word from Xu Jiaqi.


    "You have been calling me lady advisor over and over again, but even I have a name."


    "I know. Xu Jiaqi, isn''t it? It''s a pretty name. Could I call you with a nickname?"


    "I apologize, but not for now."


    "Aww~ I understand. Then, at least, I shall change my address to be Miss Xu."


    "...Thank you very much." Xu Jiaqi was actually rather surprised that He Yiyuan was willing to be this accommodating to her when she hasn''t done anything substantial for him. It was a bit uncanny.


    They talked some more along the way. Xu Jiaqi kept her professional attitude and truly showed him around. Naturally, she only displayed what was on the surface and didn''t go deeper into each place.


    In total, since they had quite the leisure attitude in their trip, the day almost ended by the time they were done.


    "How is it?" Xu Jiaqi tilted her head as she questioned the other.


    "Do you want me to be frank? It is super.. underwhelming. At least, it''s not something that I thought you would already be creating with the time you had in your hands. But I know that I haven''t misjudged you, so there must be something you are waiting for.. How interesting. It''s definitely something to look out for, but as of right now, I don''t think that it is anything spectacular."


    "Is that so? Anything else?" Xu Jiaqi was not bothered in the slightest about his comments and accepted it straight away.


    "..The real reason I came here. Why I paid this visit. I would like to propose something, for the better of you and me. Would you like to hear it?"


    "I hope it''s not something pointless like inviting me to your side again. That will never happen, no matter how hard you try to advocate for it."


    "No, no, no. It''s nothing like that. I wanted to ask if you want to form a formal coalition with my Kingdom. With you as the center, naturally. I won''t permit any other delegate."


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyes perked up, and her attention was drawn. "Elaborate further."


    "I want an open coalition. One that wouldn''t deeply involve any of our lands, and would just be a business agreement between two capable beings. The ones in charge shall be me and you. The things we will cover varies, but the main point behind it is that we will keep an amiable relationship between the two lands."


    Naturally, Xu Jiaqi was laden with suspicion right off the bat.


    A delicious offer. There were many other small powers that would jump and frighten themselves to death upon hearing this kind of thing.


    An offer that would completely change one''s life, turning it upside down.


    "What is it in me that you see? For someone like you to utter such.. phrases, there must be a strong reason behind it. Why do you value me so much when I haven''t even launched anything yet?"


    "I value the future, and I value all the chances that my Kingdom could possibly get. I value you, because I know that there is something you possess that the future will have to bow down to."


    Hearing that, Xu Jiaqi had mixed feelings. The thing He Yiyuan talked about was certainly that of her future plans. Her desire to overtake the world. However, rather than stopping her, this man actually wanted to choose to ally with her and reap the possible benefits that could come out in the future.


    "It seems like I have gotten a good grip at what  your principles truly are. Whatever it is, it''s fine as long as you survive and thrive in your wealth, huh?"


    Clearly, He Yiyuan did not care if he wasn''t the strongest power. He just had to survive, and being at the peak of power lowered his chances of survival in a sense.


    Such a man... was it really alright to ally with him?

 Chapter 139 - 3.35

    "Yep! I thought I made that very clear. Did you perhaps not believe that there could be someone like me loitering in the world?"


    "...I will have to talk about this with my lord before I could say anything back to you." Xu Jiaqi wanted to seek a middle ground and decided on that.


    "I am perfectly fine with that, but to me, it seems like your master is someone who is willing to give anything to you~" He Yiyuan commented.


    "Such confidence." Xu Jiaqi coldly replied. However, she didn''t object to that statement. Xie Yongrui was so forgiving to her that she was starting to believe that she was the real master, not him. Clearly, Xie Yongrui was an ambitious man in his own sense. Although he didn''t show it outright, he held his ambitions close to his heart and worked on his own plans behind her back.


    It wasn''t that he did not trust her, but it was that he did not want her to be plagued with his matters. Even so, Xu Jiaqi still managed to find out, so it was rather pointless on his end.


    Nonetheless, things were working well for them. She couldn''t let herself be bothered by what this man uttered. He Yiyuan came and left like a storm. His existence was akin to none, and he was the embodiment of an anomaly.


    Xu Jiaqi quickly bid farewell with He Yiyuan after that, and the man thanked her for the assistance during their trip. She then returned to her own quarters.


    "..Hah." Xu Jiaqi scoffed lightly as she slowly continued her work, looking over important documents over plans that she wished to launch. The thought of He Yiyuan''s sudden proposal couldn''t get out of her head.


    She wanted to accept it, but did she have to correct cards to play? Was she able to contend to him? What if he suddenly decides to back out, and she harms her own progress?


    Soon, it will be winter. Then, spring would follow. The beginning of a new year meant that there would be even more chances for her to play upon.


    "He Yiyuan, the Dragon, or whoever he thinks he is, no one shall block my plans." Xu Jiaqi was determined as she stacked all her papers up and muttered lowly.


    In this whole situation, where on Earth was the System?


    This question bothered her so badly. She floated in between being extremely worried about the System who went away, and confident that he was out because he had a goal to accomplish. A duty to follow, and that he would come back as a stronger version of himself.


    But a part of her worried. What if the System never came back? Would she be stuck in this world, and end up dying for good? To tell the truth, it wasn''t that bad of an idea. She wasn''t supposed to live this many lives, she had already experienced different circumstances in settings that would only appear in fantasy novels in her original world.


    "System..." Xu Jiaqi sighed as she looked towards the ceilings, staring blankly.


    [Host!] Out of nowhere, the characteristic sound of the System, that Xu Jiaqi had been longing so hard for appeared and shocked her.


    "What- You''re back! You''re actually back! System, where the hell have you been? I couldn''t reach you at all.." Xu Jiaqi was naturally taken aback, but out of all the emotions she was having right now, she was overwhelmed with happiness.


    The System had returned. Ultimately, this was a fortunate occasion.


    In the whole world, she would be the only one who knew that she was a transmigrator, someone who shouldn''t be here. That thought especially made her lonely. She couldn''t believe it. Out of all things, the thing that made her feel empty would be this kind of matter.


    The fact that she felt detached from her surroundings because she was alone. Did that mean her emotions were already getting to her head?


    [Please calm down, Host. I was doing something for your sake. There was something important that needed to be attended to. I apologize for leaving you without saying anything, but it really was an urgent matter..]


    "..It''s alright. All that matters is that you have came back here. I don''t know what happened, but if you want to tell me, then I am always here. Otherwise, it''s also fine if you want to keep your silence." Xu Jiaqi sighed in relief.


    The System was deathly afraid that the Host would be severely mad at him and even form distrust and suspicion. Even though he could ''take care'' of that being and prevent the Host from triggering more of those memories, he was unable to erase her emotions.


    The situation was still shaky, but he was able to ensure that the Host shouldn''t be able to realize anything even if that being''s soul came to float around her again.


    However, with the System''s administrations, he should be able to round everything up until they could find a more suitable point in time. He didn''t want them to be separated, but right now, only disaster could come out of their meetings.


    To protect both sides, this was needed.


    [..Host, are you mad at me?] The System questioned in worry after a long pause.


    "Mad? Towards you? Not really. I''ve done some pretty selfish things, and I don''t mind that you take your own actions too. Don''t tell me, you ended up running away for longer because you didn''t want me to get mad? If you did that, I will scold you!" Xu Jiaqi huffed helplessly.


    [Host..! You''re the best!!] If the System could be summoned out right now, he would definitely have rushed to hug Xu Jiaqi tightly. Before he came back, he was actually waiting while debating with himself.


    On what type of reaction Xu Jiaqi would have at his return. He had hypothesized about so many things, from the best to worst.


    But of course, Xu Jiaqi was someone who wouldn''t pay too much attention to irrelevant details.


    Joy was tied between the two beings, and a happy mood was strewn.

 Chapter 140 - 3.36

    Now that Xu Jiaqi and the System had reunited with each other, her confidence shot up even more. The presence of the helpful System was essentially like a guarantor to her condition.


    With this newfound energy, Xu Jiaqi embarked on a farther path to escalate her plans with He Yiyuan, while also maintaining control over Xian Ruo''s wellness.


    Not long after her first meeting with He Yiyuan, winter descended. Particles of snow fell from the sky, painting a beautiful white landscape that seemed so tranquil. Xu Jiaqi''s well-made preparation was fully launched, and the entirety of Xian Ruo would be able to continue their sustainable living until spring came around.


    With the change of the season, Xu Jiaqi also received a particular message from a certain someone.


    He Yiyuan''s continuation of their plan. The finalized decision: Xu Jiaqi would have to go to the Xi Kingdom as Xian Ruo''s delegate. The time limit was unknown, but the message clearly states that it would take longer than one year, depending on how far the alliance was going to stretch to. He Yiyuan promised that he would take care of Xian Ruo under his wing as well, while keeping it an independent power altogether.


    Essentially, the final agreement ended up being a golden ticket for Xian Ruo in exchange for Xu Jiaqi''s departure.


    What did that entail?


    "So.. how the hell do I tell him without creating a shitshow?" Xu Jiaqi mumbled as she rolled around in the bed.


    Xie Yongrui. If he heard this piece of news, if he knew that she had to go away, how would he react? Definitely not great, right?


    [Who knows, Host? I only left for some time, but you were already able to land a deal with He Yiyuan. How great.]


    "Systemm~ When will you be able to get a real physical body? Like ones that can show up in reality, be touched, or be seen by others?"


    [..Host wants me to do that?]


    "I thought that it would be fun. You could be my companion or whatever, and I don''t have to worry about talking to the air anymore. It feels weird sometimes. Like, what if I am actually not talking to a living thing, but rather a-" Xu Jiaqi was about to continue her rambling, but stopped herself. "..Sorry, nevermind."


    She covered herself with the thick blanket, signalling the harsh weather of the winter. She submerged herself in the heat and avoided the matter altogether, leaving the System still in shock and filled with questions.


    "Qiqi, you are inside here, right? Can I enter?" A voice came from the outside as Xu Jiaqi spent her time lazing around.


    Winter made her want to relax badly.


    From the first word, Xu Jiaqi had already noticed who was behind the door. It was her lord, Xie Yongrui.


    "..Good day, how come the lord personally visits his subordinate''s room? What''s the occasion here?" Xu Jiaqi got up from her slumber and looked at Xie Yongrui with a creased brow.


    "Qiqi, do you want to go out for a walk?" The man asked with a stoic expression.


    "In the winter? Do you want to kill me and dispose of me inside a frozen pond or something?" Xu Jiaqi gestured for him to enter first since the cold air was already attacking the moment he opened the door ever so slightly.


    "..Why is your first thought about killing?" Xie Yongrui voiced complaints as he patted Xu Jiaqi''s head, who was shorter than him.


    "Oh, it''s just an assassination method that I thought of using. I need to start forming better techniques. I know that I won''t get caught, but if I just snap their necks, cut their throat, poison them, or do all sorts of things, won''t I be super unoriginal?" Xu Jiaqi casually talked about her dirty jobs.


    "..You worry about those type of things?"


    "Of course I do. Is it bad?"


    "What bad? There''s nothing bad that you can do."


    "...That''s more like it." Xu Jiaqi broke into a smile and chuckled as she scrambled around to get a thicker mantle for her and the man, who was donned in rather thin clothing for the weather. "Though, really, why do you want to go outside? I thought you had instructed me to stay inside and keep myself warm."


    "...I overheard some things. Some unpleasant news."


    Xu Jiaqi blinked, and thought about all the possibilities that the lord could''ve entailed with that statement. There was one thing that immediately came to her suspicion. "..He Yiyuan?"


    She wrapped the two of them in the mantles she got, and the two sat down facing each other.


    "You... How did you come to get acquainted with that man? I know you dealt with Zheng Jianyu, but He Yiyuan? Even the bigshots all around the world have troubles trying to meet that man."


    "I didn''t try to meet him. He came to see me on his own. Apparently, he wanted me to join him, but obviously I declined. Since.. I have you, my lord."


    "Still, He Yiyuan wants you to come to the Xi Kingdom, right? What about that?"


    "..Will you object to it if I said that I wanted to go?" Xu Jiaqi''s plan was to accept, but what about Xie Yongrui?


    Originally, she was worried on how she would tell this matter to him, but she didn''t expect him to come here and ask her personally. It was rather.. intriguing.


    "I knew from the start that you''re someone that won''t be restrained by my words. Why even bother trying to hold you back? I would only pose harm to you, a free soul."


    "You''re not going to stop me? Really?" Xu Jiaqi raised a brow.


    "You''ve never been mine from the start, were you?"


    "Is that the case.. I thought that you would be the type of person to fight for it, but I guess I was wrong." Xu Jiaqi leaned on his shoulder- something that should''ve been massively inappropriate if they had a normal master-subordinate relationship.


    But between them, nothing was normal.. At the same time, everything was normal, they were able to be balanced because they were right by each other''s side.

 Chapter 141 - 3.37

    That was the beauty of their souls, the owner of two tragic threads of fate that just couldn''t be straightened out. Even though they were so perfect with each other, even though they were a match made in heaven, there were just some things that wouldn''t work out for them.


    [..What good would come out if they had to suffer for years in exchange for small bits of happiness?] The System thought.


    He had been hiding away ever since Xie Yongrui came to interrupt his Host because he was afraid that that being''s soul would catch waves of what he had been doing over the course of all this time.


    To avoid getting disrupted, he hid himself away and observed as the two clearly already felt something for each other. Beyond love, akin to a spiritual bond too sacred to separate.


    The lovers were once a pair that everyone envied. The two ''perfect'' beings who fell in love with each other and shared an unbreakable bond.


    But it was all for naught. Fate didn''t agree to them being together. They wanted to insist, and fought their fates. As payment for both of their stubborn attitudes, look at where they are right now?


    The state they were in. Not even able to recall their divinity. Even though it was so clearly present within themselves, even to this very moment.


    [Host..] The System lamented as sympathy and pity drowned him.


    He should''ve known better. If he realized it earlier, he would''ve killed off Qin Zicheng right then and there the moment he sensed the other soul. But now, even Xu Jiaqi''s soul began to feel the changes that the other being brought to her.


    _______


    Xie Yongrui and Xu Jiaqi stayed cozily as time passed and the day changed. They idled around, from drinking hot tea, walking through the snowy paths, or even paying a visit to the other chambers just to look around. They found solace within each other, and it was no wonder that they found it hard to separate.


    Though, everything must have an end.


    "My lord, please wait for me. I won''t take long. When I come back.. Let''s see, will you have a surprise for me?" Xu Jiaqi spoke up.


    By that, she was confirming that her ultimate decision would really be to go out of Xian Ruo and depart with He Yiyuan. It was a rather dangerous gamble. Knowing that He Yiyuan held an interest in Xu Jiaqi, and his tendencies to madly desire what he set his sights upon.


    Xie Yongrui could only hope that the gamble was on their favor, that Xu Jiaqi would be safe until the end of the agreement''s period, and that He Yiyuan would be wise enough to not try any tricks on Xu Jiaqi.


    "A surprise.. That''s rare, coming from you. Knowing our Qiqi.. Are you going to make a request to me? Or do you sincerely want me to pull a surprise on you?"


    "It''s both, my lord." Xu Jiaqi grinned.


    She did have a request she wanted him to fulfill, but she also wanted Xie Yongrui to come up with something that would make her surprised when she came back.


    "How honest of you." Xie Yongrui pulled the girl down for a kiss on the forehead, finding Xu Jiaqi so lovable with her cheeky expression. "Do you have something to desire? To the point that you would ask me like this? In the past year you''ve worked for me, you''ve never asked anything form me directly apart from things for work. Don''t tell me, this time too? More work-related things?"


    Xu Jiaqi sighed in contentment. "No, my lord."


    "Then, what is it? Tell me slowly, I will listen to you."


    "... Before that, I suppose I shall tell you about my goal in life. I.. do find my work fun, but to be honest, the reason I''m doing all of this isn''t for Xian Ruo, nor is it because I like working. I''m doing this for myself, and I wish for this to end quickly. Then, I want to try living life. Like a normal lady, perhaps. I want to live an unfettered life.. a great one that I won''t regret. I''ve had so many regrets in my short life, and I think it''s time for me to reform everything up."


    "To fulfill that, are you going to leave me? After building everything up, will you.. abandon me?" Xie Yongrui''s volume got smaller as he questioned. His eyes contained uncertainty. "Qiqi, I will say this right now. I won''t be able to stand that. I will definitely leave with you if you planned to run away."


    Bits of anxiousness was thoroughly mixed in his voice, which was starting to wobble and vibrate all over.


    "But you have to be the Emperor. Who would run the power if not for you? Xian Ruo needs you." Xu Jiaqi sighed in worry.


    "..If I really had no choice, if you want me to be the Emperor, I''ll do it if my one and only condition is granted."


    "Oh? My lord also has a condition? What is it?"


    "Qiqi.. Tell me, what if I said that I wanted you in the Empress'' seat?" Xie Yongrui proclaimed, his heartbeat quickening as he waited for the other to react.


    Xu Jiaqi''s large doe eyes blinked. A surprised look on her face, presumably because of his sudden words.


    ''This can be counted as a confession, right?'' Xu Jiaqi thought.


    "..My lord, do you know what my goal is? The one goal that I want to finish before retreating to the back. It''s a very important matter to me, so I won''t give up until I finish it. Only then can I be satisfied and live the life I told you about."


    She did not refuse or object to Xie Yongrui''s words right away, which ignited a flame of hope inside Xie Yongrui. That Xu Jiaqi would accept him and his desperateness.


    He gulped, treading carefully to answer this question.

 Chapter 142 - 3.38

    "Your goal is.. related to your origins, right?"


    After spending this much time with Xu Jiaqi, and capturing every single one of her words, Xie Yongrui had guessed that Xu Jiaqi still had an attachment to her past. She would mention her background over and over again, speak poorly of herself no matter how high her achievements were, and never became fully proud of herself.


    Even though in his eyes, she was so perfect. The one he envisioned every single time he had a happy dream, the one he.. wanted to spend the rest of his life with.


    Was his feelings too burdensome? For someone like Qiqi... He knew her well. She hated burdensome things.


    If she wasn''t comfortable with his raging emotions, then she would definitely turn away from him. If that happened, how could he handle it?


    "So you''ve already guessed it. You''re correct... it is connected to my past. The past that I never learned in the first place. I want to look for my father. It''s probably a pointless venture, because if he even had a shred of real love for my mother, he wouldn''t have disappeared into dust like that. If only my mother didn''t fall in love with a fraudster, and instead found another man.. Someone who can be a real father figure to me. Every since I was a child, I dreamed of that happening. Over and over again."


    "I just want to know who he is. Why he pretended to love the woman called Xu Yan for so long. How he was able to do that. It''s going to be hard. I will have to grasp at straws, trying everything to track him down in this large world. I know that, but I still want to do it."


    Xu Jiaqi took a long, deep breath before continuing with her imagery.


    "I saw many families pass through the busy streets. They would have wide smiles on their faces. And my heart.. felt like it was being squeezed every time I encountered that type of family. They lived an ordinary life, but that was beautiful in itself. I honestly... you are right, to live the life I spoke about, I don''t need to erect an entire Empire or what not. I could just get off right now and live like that. But I felt like I wouldn''t be satisfied that way. I want to prove.. to whom? Maybe to myself, to the world, to my parents who threw me away, to those who wronged me before. I don''t really know my own goal, but I just want to..."


    Xu Jiaqi stopped, and looked up to the sky.


    "Qiqi? Are you alright..?" Xie Yongrui asked in a careful tone.


    "My lord, do you know the saying that the sky is the limit?"


    "I do."


    "To me, the sky is something that I have looked at so many times. I had to stretch my neck and tilt my head upwards, just like this.. in order to get a glance of the vast, endless landscape. I want to be.. a figure like that. Someone who everybody would have to look up to. Like the sky, watching over everything."


    "But one day, I have to disappear, so I can''t exactly be the one who holds the power. That''s why I''m pushing it all to you. Do you hate me for that? I am using you in a sense."


    "...No, I don''t. How can I hate our peerless Qiqi? Your dreams and goals.. they will come true. I will make sure that it becomes real." Xie Yongrui stared deep into Xu Jiaqi''s eyes as he drew closer and closer. He admired the girl''s beauty and captured it all in his mind.


    Right before the space between them disappeared, Xie Yongrui stopped, and he probed, wanting to seek what Xu Jiaqi thought of the whole situation that was unfolding.


    Xu Jiaqi''s heart actually skipped a beat, apart from her acting. She locked eyes with Xie Yongrui for a few seconds, an ambiguous tension wrapping them up tightly.


    Then, her lips curved into an arch. Her hands moved up, trailing Xie Yongrui''s body and finally settling down in the narrow distance between their faces. She slid it up to cover Xie Yongrui''s eyes.


    Xie Yongrui was prepared for Xu Jiaqi to push him away, but instead of that, she decided to leave him with a little gift.


    She moved forward ever so slightly, and the distance between them finally turned to naught, and their lips pressed against each other. A light, fluttery one that made both of their hearts quiver.


    (Disclaimer: For those who are uncomfortable with Qiqi technically being underage in her body, this is set in the old ages, and you should already be familiar with the views they held. It''s not abnormal back then. I know that this will still be concerning for some of you, so if I do plan to add mature stuff, I will obviously wait until Qiqi is of age, don''t worry.)


    Xie Yongrui was instantly put into a daze the moment their lips separated from each other and Xu Jiaqi removed her hand out of the way. His eyes went straight to Xu Jiaqi, who in turn placed her index finger over her lips, gesturing for him to not say anything.


    The two savored their moment, and needed time to process everything that just happened. The abrupt kiss that weren''t in their plans at all, and how they felt towards it.


    Xie Yongrui was sure of his feelings, and didn''t want to back out of it. Xu Jiaqi initiating the kiss like this, didn''t it mean that he had a fair chance in this game?


    Meanwhile, Xu Jiaqi was still in dispute with her own views. She didn''t like to participate in romance because she once thought that the emotion was simply hateful and unnecessary. But now, after experiencing several worlds, she was beginning to feel like having a companion like her Zicheng ge and Zenith was quite the pleasant thing.


    And now that she knew Xie Yongrui was the possessor of Zenith''s soul, what other reason did she have to move away from all this?

 Chapter 143 - 3.39

    For the first time, Xu Jiaqi actually began to have ideas about seriously getting into this particular relationship that she had somehow gotten into. If the soul did follow her.. Then she wanted to try and delve deeper into it.


    "I will miss you." Xie Yongrui became unusually clingy after the thought of Xu Jiaqi having to leave even after they shared this kiss, which was like a huge milestone to him sunk deep inside his head. "I will miss you so much, Qiqi."


    If only he had made a move earlier, could he have spent more time before the girl had to depart for the land of Xi? Or better yet, could he have prevented her from having to go there in the first place?


    "En, I know. I will miss you too." Xu Jiaqi indulged in his almost whiny attitude, smiling helplessly as she caressed the man''s hair and played around with it.


    "I won''t forget you." Xie Yongrui added.


    "..I know." Xu Jiaqi coaxed the other patiently. "Likewise, how could I forget you, my lord?"


    "Qiqi."


    "Yes, my lord?"


    "Qiqi, Qiqi."


    Xie Yongrui kept repeating the name, mumbling in a small volume.


    "..Is something the matter?"


    "Don''t call me lord.. it''s just a title, it makes you feel so distant. I don''t want to be a lord in front of you. I''m Xie Yongrui.. and my feelings for you have nothing to do with my title in the slightest. So.. call me by my name, please?" Xie Yongrui asked.


    "..So it was that." Xu Jiaqi laughed, finding Xie Yongrui''s bashful nature to be a good contrast towards what she had seen him all the previous times. "Your name is pretty, my lord. Xie Yongrui. It does feel a bit weird since I''m used to calling you by your title.. But if you wish for me to do so, then I will comply with your request."


    "Make it shorter."


    "If you don''t like Xie Yongrui.. Then perhaps, Rui?"


    "..." Xie Yongrui lowered his head, not saying anything in return.


    "My lo- Sorry, I mean.. Rui? Is the nickname unpleasant?" Xu Jiaqi huffed.


    "Stop."


    Xu Jiaqi halted and observed Xie Yongrui carefully.


    "..Was it unpleasant after all? Is it too intimate for your own liking? I''ll just call you my lord, then."


    "No! I.. I like the name, but it''s just.. it''s not good for my heart right now." Xie Yongrui looked away. "I think.. I like you too much that I won''t be able to take it if we go any further than this." By the end of his words, he had already lost all the power to even look at Xu Jiaqi once.


    Xu Jiaqi was once again surprised by his answer, which seemed so innocent that she was forced to hold her laughter back. She was at a loss of words.


    "..Ah, it''s not like I''m going to die you know? You acting like this makes me think that I''m being sent off to death even if I''m not. How cruel of you, Rui." Xu Jiaqi pouted, inching closer to Xie Yongrui, who was slowly backing away in embarrassment.


    The clear flush decorating his face made it even more adorable. When he moved backwards, Xu Jiaqi would close up to him two times the amount of the distance.


    In the end, after the little playful chase, Xu Jiaqi ended up hovering on top of Xie Yongrui''s body, looking at his pristine face that had a disturbed expression. In a good way, of course.


    She was indeed a bit possessive of everything she owned or those that she liked and wanted to obtain. Xie Yongrui was scared of her falling into the hands of He Yiyuan, but she was more scared about him facing her. If Zenith''s soul did continue to follow her into the next world and the next, next one, she didn''t know if she would be able to bear the thought of her not being his first in situations like this.


    What if she fell hard, and found out that he already had someone by his side? Would she have to remove whoever was by his side, or stay by the sidelines and watch as they grew happier?


    Or even worse.. What if he disappeared and couldn''t follow her anymore? What if she lost him after she had fallen?


    Zing!


    Xu Jiaqi''s ''essence'' was unconsciously released as her emotions fluctuated higher and higher. The ''essence'' that she emitted, its identity was her divinity, the one that she had forgotten how to use. A thin mist that began to wrap around them, getting absorbed by Xie Yongrui and triggering his senses.


    Xie Yongrui began to notice that something was out of the normal and became full of questions. It was like all of his five senses were being violated at the same time. Or better yet, it was as if he formed a sixth sense and could feel a strange, yet familiar stimulation.


    It was hard to describe. Hard to determine whether he liked it or not.


    Xie Yongrui gulped a mouthful of saliva as he let this strange feeling take over him. With Xu Jiaqi hovering over him, it wasn''t hard to guess that this occurrence should have something to do with her.


    He wished to embrace every single inch of her. Whatever she threw at him, he wanted to savor it. This weird energy that filled him up.. It was not an exception.


    "Rui.. You have to know that I''m not a very kind person. If you want to be with me, then.. so be it, but there can be nobody else in our way." Xu Jiaqi grasped his hand and pressed their foreheads together. Their hands intertwined with each other and their fingers were locked together.


    Xu Jiaqi''s long, undone hair cascaded over Xie Yongrui''s skin, providing a ticklish sensation that made him want to shirk away. Xie Yongrui grimaced, shutting his eyes off as he turned away from Xu Jiaqi''s direction.. The sensory overload was killing him.

 Chapter 144 - 3.40

    "Looking away.. Rui, I don''t want you to do that. Look at me, en?"


    Xie Yongrui''s mind was being turned upside down as he listened attentively to Xu Jiaqi, who was discussing her terms. Not only was this energy that came out of nowhere attacking him, she was also being teased and interrogated by her.


    To him, all of her terms were nothing, because he had already planned to do that in the first place in the case that Xu Jiaqi did accept him. However, why was his Qiqi so dead serious in saying all this? Did she really not have that much trust in him, to the point where she needed to have lots of confirmation for something like this? It was a little bit painful to think of.


    It meant that he hadn''t broken into the other''s heart as much as she already did into his. As far as he was concerned, he would be fine with anything that Xu Jiaqi wished to do. He would do anything solely on the basis that she was Xu Jiaqi, he was ready to jump into fire for her.


    At first, it was just a simple matter of interest. The moment his eyes landed on her small body, a spark already triggered inside his heart, causing ripples. But it was nowhere near the accumulation of emotions that were cultivated to the degree it was in right now.


    As he became more and more panicked, a faint, cold energy began to seep out of Xie Yongrui as well. It was squeezed in the atmosphere along with Xu Jiaqi''s own energy, creating a clash between the two. They were irreconcilable at first, almost fighting with each other for dominance.


    However, after a twist, the two began to merge together, finally accepting their counterparts.


    Xie Yongrui''s energy was firmly held by Xu Jiaqi who, was immediately riddled with


    ''Zenith''s effect.'' Xu Jiaqi recognized the authentic, irreplaceable cold sensation that she had felt countless times in the previous world in an instant. She broke into a wide smile. This was like knocking in the final nail to the head. Sealing off her previous guesses which were still uncertain about herself.


    But now, it was certain that this was the Zenith she knew, and that this energy was the so-called ''divinity'' she had heard about.


    The binding of two divinities clashing with each other. The System was pitifully unaware of this because he chose to hide from Xie Yongrui, sealing himself off for good inside the space. If only he learned of the things happening outside the space, he would''ve freaked out and cursed a thousand times over.


    As a matter of fact, divinity was something that was inseparable to each of the bearers. Exchanging divinities like Xu Jiaqi and Xie Yongrui, even though they didn''t even know that they were actively doing it, was akin to placing a mark on each other.


    Having done that, it could be said that in the future, it would be very hard to miss each other. It was to the point where if they were separated into different dimensions, they would be able to subconsciously tell what the other party was doing. Their divinities were one of the most powerful ones out there, and their exchange naturally would grant them this kind of perks.


    Unbeknownst to them, the two energy kept merging and merging until an actual connection was formed, not just a pseudo or temporary one. They ended up spending the rest of the day together, and even slept together. Naturally, not in a sexual way.


    Xie Yongrui did not want to harm the other or burden her in any sort of way of form. He didn''t lay his hands on her at all.


    Their days passed. Winter was the last season they were going to be together for a long time, because after this season, Xu Jiaqi would go to the land of Xi to fulfill her part of the deal. It was clearly written in the text He Yiyuan sent that she would not be permitted to go back no matter under what circumstances it may be. Due to such a specific thing, Xu Jiaqi began to wonder if the reason for it would actually be her, but it was still a bit farfetched considering how He Yiyuan is.


    The day of the departure finally came. In front of Xian Ruo''s main estate, a carriage adorned in gold and jewels came by, indirectly showing their wealth. The owner of said carriage was of course, the infamous He Yiyuan.


    "I''m leaving now. Stay here and do your work, my lord. I will return here in just a moment. When that day arrives.. I hope that I will be able to expect an unforgettable surprise." Xu Jiaqi pulled Xie Yongrui in for a hug.


    This time, unlike the previous time they hugged, there were quite the fair number of people watching as Xu Jiaqi latched herself onto Xie Yongrui with a silly smile. Xie Yongrui was melted by that expression of hers and couldn''t help himself but pull her up for a chaste kiss on her cheek.


    After the parting, Xu Jiaqi entered the carriage that had been prepared. Inside, He Yiyuan was already waiting.


    "Did you really have to hug him back then? You know that your simple action will cause countless turmoils in the estate, right? Or did you purposely do it because you wanted to brand him as yours? Did you want to establish your position, hm?" He Yiyuan asked curiously.


    It was unlike Xu Jiaqi to have done such a thing. The girl, who never let her vulnerable side be shown to anybody.


    "It''s alright, isn''t it? You''re talking as if it''s such a cursed action."


    It made him a little bit envious of the other man for having the power to shake her like this, but he kept it inside his heart and the travel was resumed.


    It would be wrong if he said that he was a bit jealous, because he had no right whatsoever to claim the position besides her by now.


    Xie Yongrui occupied it firmly, and there was no way he was going to hand it over to yield it to anybody else.

 Chapter 145 - 3.41

    "How long will it take until we cross over to the Land of Xi?" Xu Jiaqi asked. From her predictions, the total time would come to be around four days at minimum, but she wished to know what He Yiyuan wanted to do.


    "Hmm.. I want to stop by somewhere first. We are going to the center of my kingdom, but before that.. If you''re fine with it, then can we make a detour to the outskirts? I have a task that I need to accomplish, and I planned to go there on this return trip to save time." He Yiyuan questioned back.


    Xu Jiaqi''s ears perked upon hearing the word outskirts. She was interested in how different the outskirts were from the actual center of the Kingdom, so she was rather fairly happy about it and quickly agreed.


    "I want to see how it is there as well, so I''m completely fine with it. Let''s go according to your plans. We are not in a hurry anyway, are we? I''m sure that this agreement you''re talking about.. Trading me to the Land of Xi, it can''t be that simple of a task." Xu Jiaqi was filled with confidence.


    There was no doubt about her skills. He Yiyuan was someone who knew how to value people''s skills. Now that he had gotten Xu Jiaqi on his side temporarily, what was there to prevent him from using her aid when she was also fine with it?


    "..You''re completely right. We shall see which areas you could fill. You shouldn''t get your hopes up too much, however. You''re still a young soul after all. Many people back in my country is just as talented as you with more experience. I hope that the lady advisor won''t feel too pressured or disappointed at herself after meeting them."


    "Oh, I can assure you that experience is not the only thing that plays a part in doing well. I can make it up from my other points." Xu Jiaqi laughed. He Yiyuan did not know this, but the amount of experience she possessed was probably much higher than his own.


    He Yiyuan being titled a Dragon? In her worlds, she was titled a Devil, and Angel, a Goddess, a Saintess, Princess, there was no end in sight to her overbearing nicknames.


    A mere Dragon.. She''ll just stomp her way out of it.


    ''System, make sure to still keep watch on the world''s matters. I already received the information you collected. It''s enough for now, but.. Could you take a look at the Land of Xi and investigate their affairs as well? Pick out the weaknesses I can use. I need to create a lasting impression to them.''


    Xu Jiaqi was still far too young. If there was something that she hated about most people''s way of thinking, it was that they tended to underestimate those with a lower age than them. It was as if they were proud of being an old sack of flesh.


    She will most definitely be belittled when she reached that place. Perhaps there would already be a group of people who was aware of her identity and what she dealt with, but the rest would have to be taken care of first before anything could be done in the Land of Xi.


    Their formal agreement hasn''t been signed yet, but Xu Jiaqi and He Yiyuan more or less shared the same idea. Xu Jiaqi would be sent to the Land of Xi to garner profit. The profit she makes for that Kingdom would be split two ways, for themselves and Xian Ruo. The parts would be equal.


    In other words, she was given a very important chance to execute her brilliant ideas and performance using the platform of the Xi Kingdom. She was expected by He Yiyuan to make a significant ripple in the kingdom''s changes, and that ripple would also transfer to Xian Ruo and help them. Not only that, He Yiyuan was also willing to extend Xi''s influence to Xian Ruo and assist them in whatever way possible if He Yiyuan approved it.


    This golden ticket to success, there was n way Xu Jiaqi was going to let go of it. At first, she planned to crawl all the way up to the top by herself, but now that He Yiyuan was here, she could be more brazen with her actions.


    A proud smile formed on Xu Jiaqi''s face. All the way through the journey, the thought of Xie Yongrui suddenly crossed her mind. The man should be patiently waiting for her back home. A part of her thoughts was occupied with the man''s face as he bid her goodbye for the last time before she had to leave for good.


    The Land of Xi. It was frequently addressed as the ''Golden Kingdom''. In here, everything was prosperous. Although the land of Xi might not have that much authority, nor did it have an extensive aristocratic system or military power, what it excelled at was wealth.


    Wealthy people could be seen everywhere. If you wanted to bet on your chances of becoming a successful merchant, the first advice that people would give you was set in stone in this world. They would definitely include one thing.


    Go to the Land of Xi. That was it.


    Nurtured under the hands of nobody else but He Yiyuan and his personal entourages, the Land of Xi that Xu Jiaqi saw with her own two eyes was nothing like the rumors. It was much more extravagant than that. Everything was well built. It amazed her on how good the system implemented in the country must be for this type of civilization to be possible, especially since Xi was a rather large land unlike Xian Ruo.


    Not only that, this was not the center that He Yiyuan was talking about, but rather the road to entering the country. The entrance area.


    Xu Jiaqi got off the carriage that they took and looked around. They were finally in the outskirts, where He Yiyuan said he had a mission in.


    "This is.. the outskirts?" Xu Jiaqi''s eyes widened.. Shock was prevalent in her mind.

 Chapter 146 - 3.42

    The outskirts of the kingdom.


    It was rather gloomy, and didn''t suit the image that Xi painted itself in. It made her instantly wonder what might have caused it. Upon further inspection, it dawned on her that the items scattered around here, the buildings and structural formations, everything was well suited to a battlefield rather than a merchant country.


    "Yes. The part that faces all the dangers is focused here. This place is... where it hurts to see every time I visit." A saddened expression surfaced on He Yiyuan''s face, but quickly disappeared. However, she was still able to catch it before it went away.


    "I see... So the Land of Xi has to face against this type of threats as well, huh?" Xu Jiaqi''s eyes landed on a stray piece of fabric. The fabric was marked with the Empire''s insignia. There were also others that had the Bei Empire''s symbol on it.


    Xu Jiaqi pursed her lips as she huffed. This outskirts that He Yiyuan talked about was in geographical terms, the weakest link that the Kingdom had. It allowed entry from both the Bei Kingdom and the Empire itself if they did seek to infiltrate the Xi.


    Although there might have not been any open wars, conflicts were bound to happen. Conflicts that were motivated by desire to profit, to rampage about and steal, and to plunder all the riches from Xi. And the Xi couldn''t open a war even if they wanted to declare it because they still lacked military power compared to the two powers that wished to pressure the Kingdom.


    A tight situation in both political and geographical manners. It was no wonder that He Yiyuan''s expression quickly changed when he got here.


    From there, he begun to lead Xu Jiaqi around to meet the higher ups that were in charge of this place. Xu Jiaqi got to see capable generals and leaders roaming about the land, and talking to He Yiyuan about the situation that unravelled within the past period. It was clear that He Yiyuan frequently visited the place, and it was not just because he went out to visit Xian Ruo and coincidentally wished to come here.


    Xu Jiaqi observed as the two continued to converse. Whereas she could only watch and hear about the terrors that they spoke about. Bandits, small troops, and others. The death toll in this area was rather high in that sense. Everyday, they were exposed to danger.


    "This is the downside of being a Kingdom that was built on nothing but wealth, and the fact that we rose to our status so fast. You must be surprised, en? This is an open secret, to be honest. Most people might only know about the wealth we possess, but there is also this side." He Yiyuan awkwardly smiled as he finished his work after spending all day dealing with the troubles that he had to face.


    "...I think it''s a regular thing. It''s.. a given that something like this would occur." Xu Jiaqi was a little uncertain of what to say. She shrugged as He Yiyuan brought her to the inn that they were going to stay in for the night.


    "Well, I suppose. But I do still think that it''s a bit crude for them to want to do this. As far as I''m concerned, we the Xi people have never discriminated against anybody when it comes to trading or business expenses. And yet, they still want to do this kind of thing.. because they want profit without actually having the skills to achieve the results." He Yiyuan snorted and said in a mocking tone.


    "...Yeah."


    The grim place was a bit of a shock to Xu Jiaqi, but she quickly recovered herself and continued on her way. She was rather glad that He Yiyuan didn''t just choose to show her the good parts about Xi and showed her this section as well.


    She reached the center days later, after He Yiyuan finished teaching her about certain matters in the outskirts while he was at it, saying that Xu Jiaqi would have to deal with this place too eventually in the future.


    From then, she had to settle in the Kingdom properly. He Yiyuan first threw her to the fray without assisting her in any sort of way, unlike what Xie Yongrui did by giving her a title and even announcing that he would be protecting the girl.


    Fighting for her own sake, Xu Jiaqi was forced to fend for herself the harsh survival jungle she was in. Here, your worth was decided by how much you were able to bring to the table. Naturally, Xu Jiaqi was met with scorn the first time she arrived.


    However, just like the same way she had to prove herself in Xian Ruo, Xu Jiaqi utilized every single one of her skills to get by and came out as a victor. The total time it took for her to do that alone was more than three years by itself. Establishing herself in a foreign country, and being known to be from a different land that was much inferior brought her a lot of unpleasant attention at first.


    However, skills were indeed everything here. Xu Jiaqi got accustomed to the line of work she chose to fight for, which was related to both the economic and military side. Although Xu Jiaqi was unable to hold a real position due to her authority being temporary by the contract, Xu Jiaqi still ended up with the honorary title of being a Commander


    Of course, it wasn''t like she was made to lead a military force or anything like that. The honorary Commander title she had was because of the achievements she had made, and was made shine light to her existence.


    Time passed fast when you didn''t pay attention to it and was just working your ass day in and day out to further better the conditions of your life. This was what happened to Xu Jiaqi. In the stories she read, the people who got into the same situation as her, namely becoming an agent and having a System to help her transmigrate seemed to have a rather relaxed time reeling men in and not so much in working.


    Three years since arriving to the Land of Xi and working hard until she felt like she could pass away, she became a Commander.. She also turned into an adult.

 Chapter 147 - 3.43

    Another year passed.


    She was further hailed as one of the highest contributor to the Kingdom''s prosperity and was beginning to gain relevance not only in the Kingdom''s operation ranks, but also the common people.


    One more year came and left. Her achievements skyrocketed this year, bringing in massive profits and benefits for Xi. Many officials now wished for her to stay in Xi and throw away her past of being in Xian Ruo.


    In total, five years fleeted away just like that. Without seeing Xie Yongrui in the slightest.


    During this period of time, Xu Jiaqi wasn''t sure exactly how she felt. In one side, she was definitely hit with an empty feeling after not seeing Xie Yongrui for this long, and this emotion transmitted to her longing to meet him even further. However, her work and her mission was just as equally important to her. It made her wonder.


    If one day, there came a time where she had to choose between staying with this particular soul that she encountered and continuing her line of work, what would she choose?


    ...What did the past her choose?


    It was a given that in the past, she must''ve done something that related to the soul Xie Yongrui was currently housing. What was her choice in the past? If she is here right now, without memories of him, and that he had to chase after her like this, didn''t it mean that the decision she made in the past actually brought her to a disaster?


    If the second time to choose came around.. What did she have to choose?


    She was also not dumb, nor was she gullible. She knew that the System definitely knew something. Ever since they entered this world, the System had begun to act weird, and this act of his was clearly captured by Xu Jiaqi.


    What was he hiding, and how did it connect to his disappearance?


    It should be noted that Xu Jiaqi was indeed not angered by the System''s decision, but she was slightly disappointed. It might have been for the greater good, but the thought of being left out of all this even though she was supposed to be the one in the center of the equation made her quite disturbed.


    Thankfully, the five years that she spent in the Land of Xi did give her time to think about the things happening around her and how she should proceed in the future.


    Today, just like any other day, she was working in the castle. An official had just called for her, telling her that the King was nowhere to be seen. Responding to this, she immediately went on a search to look for He Yiyuan.


    Over the course of all these years, He Yiyuan and her had developed a rather favorable relationship, and it was good to say that she was quite close to him.


    She was one of the only few that were granted permission to directly call him by his name and enter his living quarters. As such, Xu Jiaqi visited his quarters and intruded on his lounge, where she discovered him basking in the sunlight while his feet was dipped in a clear pond. Beverages and appetizers were lined up beside him, and he looked awfully cozy wearing a thin robe to allow the breezy weather to truly be felt.


    "I''ve been working my ass off, and you''re here just.. doing whatever you''re doing. Well, not that I''m complaining. It''s easier when you''re not here. For some reason, they''re super afraid when you come to interfere." Xu Jiaqi placed her hands on her hips as she huffed a long breath, pointing towards He Yiyuan, who looked towards her and smiled in a relaxed manner.


    He wore loose clothing that showed a large part of his body, and his chest wasn''t even covered. For someone who didn''t actively engage in physical activities, his body was well sculpted and would draw a lot of people''s attention when one''s eyes fell upon it. There was a clear six pack abs present on his abdomen.


    Xu Jiaqi sighed, shaking her head as she disapproved of his actions.


    "..You really have no manners, do you?" He Yiyuan didn''t become mad, but instead smirked devilishly as he gripped the glass of wine in his palm. "To barge in here and scold me without any sort of notification... Are you not afraid of any repercussion that might come with your actions? Was I too lax with you, to the point where you are disrespecting our boundaries?" He Yiyuan feigned a stern tone as he said.


    "Repercussions? You want me to be afraid of the repercussions? Sorry, but I don''t think I will." Xu Jiaqi chuckled as she took away the glass of wine and downed it in an instant. "No more alcohol for you, please. Get to work, or I will personally use all of my power to destroy this kingdom from the inside. You of all people would know that I can do it. Surely, the reason you wanted to scout me was not to just use me as a work slave? Please make it make sense. You have responsibilities to follow."


    "Do you also nag the imperial prince back in Xian Ruo?" Instead of the King getting back to work, Xu Jiaqi was met with a question instead.


    "..Why are you mentioning him all of a sudden?" Xu Jiaqi raised a brow and sighed.


    It should be noted that she had never mentioned that man herself. Whenever his name was brought into question, it was always He Yiyuan or another person that reminded her of the departure she had from Xian Ruo, and the man she left as a result of it.


    Just like this time.


    "I don''t know, it seems like you grow to miss him a lot from time to time. I can tell by how you act. You.. care about him very much. Do you have a special relationship with him?" He Yiyuan asked.


    "Why is it that you always mention him? It seems like you''re more concerned with our matters than us.." Xu Jiaqi huffed as she complained, burdened by He Yiyuan''s antics.

 Chapter 148 - 3.44

    "Of course I care about you and him... Because..." He Yiyuan paused as he processed his thoughts clearly. He shook his head, cursing at himself for almost having trapped himself in an unsalvageable situation. "Never mind. I was just curious. Do you not have a clear answer for that? Are you still testing the waters with him?"


    "Is it not enough that you purposely ripped us apart from each other? He Yiyuan, I''m not stupid. Do you think I haven''t noticed what your insinuations mean?" Xu Jiaqi raised her volume. "You are so painfully obvious that it would take a dumbass to not understand."


    He Yiyuan clearly held feelings towards Xu Jiaqi, but always held himself back for various reasons. There was no way that Xu Jiaqi would accept him. It took Zenith a life sacrifice until she was finally moved to care about him not just because the mission was there, but also because she wanted to.


    Who was He Yiyuan? He was a great candidate in the eyes of other people, but not her.


    She couldn''t care less about him, who didn''t relate to her mission, and also wasn''t the one tied to her mysterious past.


    "For a decisive person like you, you sure are taking your sweet time.. Are you sure that you are serious about him? Xu Jiaqi.. No, Qiqi, you are young, you have great potential, and you are extremely precious. There''s nothing that ties you down to him. Nothing that tells you that you have to be with him. Why is it that you''re so.. dead set on accompanying him?"


    He Yiyuan looked like a lot of things were stuck in his throat. He gazed at Xu Jiaqi with hope that the words that would come out of her mouth was of favor to his cause.


    "...Well, whether I''m serious or not, it''s both a yes and a no. It depends on the surprise that I will receive when I go back to Xian Ruo, hm? I made a promise with him. For the second question.. That''s my own private matter that I don''t think I have to tell you. He Yiyuan, I''m going to say this because I value you as a friend. Don''t think that much of me. I''m not someone you can touch. Not even Xie Yongrui can touch me if I don''t wish for it to happen. I''m my own person, and I want you to know that by acting like this all the time, all that''s going to happen is me disappearing permanently from your life."


    "On the other side, if you choose to step back and comprehend what you got yourself into, then I will pretend like all of this never happened. I will give you time to distance away so that you can forget about me. I will go back to Xian Ruo, and in the future, everything would be back to normal, and there will be no hard feelings between us. We''ve been acquainted for five years. Do you truly wish for all that to be broken down and teared apart?"


    Xu Jiaqi had to draw the line. The line that would constantly remind He Yiyuan that he mustn''t forget his position and standing. That he wasn''t as important as he longed to be in her mind.


    "...Go back, huh? Are you desperate to go back? You have lived in my kingdom for.. About five years at this point. As this land''s Ruler, I want to ask you about your opinions of this place." He Yiyuan had a tricky gaze in his eyes as he asked.


    Xu Jiaqi was cautious as to what He Yiyuan had in mind, but she answered his question nonetheless.


    "...Well, as far as I''m concerned, I spent time in the Empire. And from what I''ve personally seen and observed, this place is much better than that gross place. I can''t even begin to describe how broken it is. And the reason for it... I can''t exactly pinpoint one reason, but a major part of it has something to do with the Ruler who is struggling to keep himself in check. It''s a case of someone who didn''t know how large of a piece they could bite."


    Five years had passed. Added on to the first year Xu Jiaqi spent in this world, it meant that she had watched over this world for approximately six years.


    In that period of time, she was heavily involved in literally every single huge cause in this world. Be it politics, military, economy, culture, everything that happened in the lands, she was roughly aware in every single one of them. Not to mention, she had the assistance of the System, so she was literally a walking encyclopedia.


    She had learned a lot, and was forced to open her eyes to the perfect example of a bad Ruler. The Empire''s state was the result of nobody else''s work but the current Emperor.


    "Qiqi, if you ally yourself with me, in the future, the Land of Xi might not.. No, it won''t stay as a Kingdom. The second Empire doesn''t have to be Xian Ruo." He Yiyuan spoke. "The Empress'' position is vacant, my dear."


    "...I will say it once again. He Yiyuan, I have no intentions of doing so. Cease your pointless words right now, or I will leave and go back to Xian Ruo right now. I believe that five years of work was enough to impact Xian Ruo the way I wished for it to be when I first came here. My lord.. Rui is a capable person. Under his hands, I have heard of nothing but positive intakes on Xian Ruo''s development. I''m alright with going back right now."


    Somehow, rather than feeling happy, she felt disgusted more than anything else.


    Not because she loathed He Yiyuan''s affection, but because he proclaimed all of this so easily, and yet she struggled to make up her mind about the smallest things ever when it came to her emotions.


    He did it so casually, not hesitating to make big decisions that would cost him more than an arm and a leg.


    But her? She hesitated on everything. Because the concept of emotions was somehow strangely foreign to her from the start.


    But after meeting ''the soul''..


    A change did happen to her.


    Was it something to rejoice over, though?

 Chapter 149 - 3.45

    "..Oh, well. I better stop, right? I.. have a question, though. This will be the final one." He Yiyuan''s lips tightened as he pandered to look towards Xu Jiaqi in the eye, a sharp pang of pain squeezing his heart over the clear rejection that Xu Jiaqi gave to him.


    In the end, in the five years they spent together, he had never entered her heart. It was his fault in the first place, why on Earth would he have tried to fight for this woman, who already had someone on her mind on the very first day he met her?


    On the other hand, was it so wrong for him to begin to love her, when Xie Yongrui and her didn''t have an official status together yet? The three of them were all free souls. He Yiyuan simply wanted to enter the equation, he wanted to try and fight for his feelings.


    If he was thrown back in time, a part of him would have probably did the same thing he did up until this point. It was a rather tragic one sided love, but he felt satisfied when he looked at her right now. She still had the free soul, interesting


    At first, he was indeed quite wary and even displeased by her existence. Simply because his intuition told him so, it told him that Xu Jiaqi was a dangerous entity in the making. At the same time, his intuition told him to just keep a tight watch on her and not to provoke or attract her wrath.


    Following his instincts, he did find out that whoever dared to try and challenge her ended up falling in the end. For that, he should be thankful.


    He watched as she grew to be a respectable figure in his own country, building her standing from scratch. It was no wonder that Xie Yongrui fell in love with her, he thought. The past imperial prince was the one closest to Xu Jiaqi''s heart, but he also had his own insecurity and worries over his relationship with Xu Jiaqi.


    Because there was no real substance between them. When He Yiyuan paid a visit to Xian Ruo to check on how the land was doing as it was technically his Kingdom''s direct affiliate, he saw past Xie Yongrui''s stability and composure. He detected the incessant staggering the man possessed.


    That day he found out about how miserable this man was, he rejoiced. He knew it was wrong to feel happy over the misfortune of another, but it was his rival in love. His enemy in a sense.


    But no matter how hard he fought for it, Xu Jiaqi never opened his heart to him. No matter how hard he tried to make her turn her head towards him and sincerely smile, it never happened.


    Until this day came. The day that he had been preparing himself for. The day he wished to stop dragging everything any further. The day he finally confessed, and awaited response.


    The fact that the response was a rejection was in his calculations, but he had never thought that the actual thing would be this painful to bear. He had mentally prepared himself for this moment, but nothing could stop the thorny vine that constricted his heart as he forced himself to stay calm and continue talking to Xu Jiaqi, the woman he somehow fell in love with.


    Like a poison, this love exposed him to countless harm and vulnerability.


    When did it start? Was it because the woman carried the most interesting charm that he had ever encountered in his entire life? Because Xu Jiaqi was so confident and amazing in her field of work, that  no matter what she did, it would never cease to amaze him?


    There were so many points about the girl that he liked, and he could list them all day long. This was his first time having any other strong emotions in this level except for negative ones.


    Was he wrong for wanting to be with her? His emotions, his feelings that he ended up developing were out of his control. He wasn''t able to restrain himself, he wasn''t able to think straight.


    What a dilemma.


    "Say it." Xu Jiaqi massaged her temples, deciding to give He Yiyuan the benefit of the doubt and listen to him.


    Obviously, she knew how he felt, but she never acknowledged it because she didn''t think he would actually dare to proclaim those thoughts of his. But who knew? Today, he finally made his mind up and confessed.


    "If.. If I had met you earlier, if I came into your life before Xie Yongrui did, would you look at me the same way you are looking at him right now?"


    A sliver of hope hid itself inside his heart. An attempt to console himself, not knowing if it would work in or not.


    "No. I know that.. the reason I look upon him this way is not because he saved me, nor is it because I admire him, but because of a completely different reason that I am not able to tell anybody about. It transcends everything that goes around this world, and you would not be able to relate with this thing."


    Xu Jiaqi gave an immediate answer without even thinking about it. It was spontaneous, and it came straight out of her heart.


    The final hope inside He Yiyuan''s heart finally died out. He let out a sigh. Somehow, besides the heartbreak he felt, he was also struck with relief. A heavy burden had been lifted off his heart, and it made him breath easier than ever before.


    "..Then, you should hurry and tell him about what you feel. He is also struggling with himself, as far as I know. I''m sure that.. If you tell him, he would feel a lot more comfortable and relieved." He Yiyuan averted his gaze away from Xu Jiaqi, no longer wishing to pursue this matter.


    He chose to relent, because he knew that there was no place for him.


    What else can he do except for wish the best for the two of them?

 Chapter 150 - 3.46

    Although he was indeed in love with her, he must admit that it wasn''t to the point where he would be able to sacrifice everything for her. He was a person who grew up in harsh conditions and had many ambitions in life. One of the reasons why Xu Jiaqi caught her eye was because she, too, had such ambitions like the ones he possessed.


    Above anything else, the only thing he could do to honor the flames of love that were put out was to watch Xu Jiaqi be at the peak of her happiness.


    This encounter with her was a special one. He probably won''t be able to find another one like her in the future. How would he be able to meet someone like her that could trigger these slanted thoughts inside him?


    "Telling him.. By that, you mean..?" Xu Jiaqi''s brows creased. She had followed the agreement strictly since she didn''t want to ruin this chance, so she truly had no idea about how Xie Yongrui was doing apart from receiving news that Xian Ruo is thriving more than ever.


    He Yiyuan didn''t reply immediately. He got up from his chair, and stood up with his back turned towards Xu Jiaqi.


    "It means that you should leave. The agreement is broken, I will back out of it. Naturally, since we didn''t state any compensation policy for it, there shall be no losses for both parties. The ties won''t be broken, but the rewards you directly receive from doing your work will be ended. You should return to Xian Ruo, I will immediately prepare for your departure." He Yiyuan waved his hand, gesturing for her to exit the vicinity. He was in the brink of a breakdown, and he didn''t want her to witness a pathetic side of himself. He wanted all her memories of him to be great.


    In this sense, he was truly a desirable man that many would covet. But the only person who managed to enter his eyes didn''t share the same feelings.


    Xu Jiaqi took He Yiyuan''s words and kept it inside her heart.


    Telling Xie Yongrui about everything. But what did she have to tell? He already knew that she also felt something towards him. What more did he need?


    She was a bit troubled as she couldn''t process the meaning behind it right away, but she got the gist of his intentions. It was time for her to leave. It might seem like he was being unreasonable, but he also understood his point of view. It was highly likely that he had been planning to release her this way without her even saying anything.


    This conversation and his confession was a pivotal part in He Yiyuan''s path.


    If she had accepted, then he would start to work on detaching Xu Jiaqi from Xian Ruo.


    In this case, she rejected, so must he keep her in this land any longer? It wasn''t out of spite, but Xu Jiaqi had also begun to harbor thoughts of returning.


    Rather than being faced with her request to return out of her own volition, him nullifying the contract would create less troubles for her and return her safely.


    "...He Yiyuan, thank you for all this time. I truly.. appreciate the chance that you have given to me, and I believe that both you and I will reach much greater heights in the future." Xu Jiaqi bowed her head, which was something she usually would never do.


    There was a lot of gratitude towards this person, even though he did cause her to have some grievance along the way. The positive outweighed the negative by a large gap.


    Five years. She was taken care by this Kingdom for five years. Granted, she also worked hard, but more than anything else, she was the one to profit out of it. And everything was only possible because the man in front of her, who was full of surprising secrets, helped pave her way and create an opportunity for her to make her name big.


    "Thank you? I am kicking you out, and you are thanking me? Until the very end, you truly are a mystery." He Yiyuan did not want to drag it out any longer and walked away from her, leaving Xu Jiaqi alone. He wanted to make an impactful moment in front of her.


    It was so miserable. The fact that he was this affected by his emotions and his logical thinking was nullified.


    He began to walk along the flowery corridor of the castle.


    "...My liege, was it truly the right decision to let her go? She would''ve been a great Empress. If it was you, you could obtain her." Zheng Jianyu approached He Yiyuan from his hiding spot. He was told to not eavesdrop, but he didn''t need to hear anything to know that his master was not at his best mood right now.


    "Zheng Jianyu, didn''t I ask you before? Not as your King, but as a fellow person.. You are the person I trust the most in this entire world, and I suppose the same goes for you, right?" He Yiyuan chuckled. "For the first time, I was able to think that power and glory isn''t all that matters. Am I getting rusty?"


    "..No. I must say that what youa re experiencing is becoming more humane. And the one to turn you this way is.."


    "Xu Jiaqi, that cheeky girl."


    "..My liege, I shall trust your decisions and follow you wherever you go. That has been my intention from the very beginning."


    "Ah, you little shit. Didn''t I tell you to call me Yuan when we are alone? We are brothers before anything else, although not by blood!" He Yiyuan draped a piece of cloth over his face. Behind the fabric, a face burdened by regret and shame was present.


    Though, this could release him from the many shackles that he got as a result of everything. A way for him to breakthrough.


    -Xie Yongrui, you truly are a lucky soul.. If you don''t take care of her, watch your back, you might get stabbed out of nowhere.

 Chapter 151 - 3.47

    Xu Jiaqi''s return was quickly prepared, and He Yiyuan used all his might to ensure that the priority of this event would be placed at the very top. It wasn''t because he no longer wanted to see Xu Jiaqi, but because he truly felt that the other wouldn''t be able to be happy or have a fulfilling life at all beside him.


    It was painful, but he was sure that he would get over it. He was the one and only Dragon of Xi, and was there a need to be concerned over these matters for long?


    He believed that time would be on his side and aid him along the way.


    The date of Xu Jiaqi''s departure was due in a week. Before that, He Yiyuan arranged a formal farewell party, and invited quite the fair share of people ranging from all fields. These people were all ones that Xu Jiaqi knew, and were considered her acquaintances in Xi.


    That''s right, she gained a lot of acquaintances and even some she would dare to call a friend during her line of work. People of different statuses, peerage, things they were great at, everything was gathered around a small gazebo, where many food variants were displayed out in the open and meant to be consumed by the esteemed guests.


    Today, Xu Jiaqi wore Xi''s traditional clothing to honor the long trip that she ended up having in this beautiful land. She was dressed elegantly and looked the best she has ever been in this world. Her beauty attracted a lot of attention.


    "How is it? Pretty grand, huh? Although you are an outsider.. You have managed to capture the hearts of this many people. You should hold your head high even after you return to Xian Ruo. It''s only a given that you should be proud of yourself." He Yiyuan brought two glasses of wine with him, offering one glass to Xu Jiaqi. "Care for a toast?"


    "Thank you. This kind of thing.. isn''t needed, but I still appreciate the kind thoughts and efforts." Xu Jiaqi smiled as she accepted the drink and toasted with him.


    "You look extremely beautiful today. If you continue to smile like that, my heart won''t be able to take it." He Yiyuan sighed, acting saddened and clutching his hand over his heart as if he was struck by a barbed wire.


    Xu Jiaqi smacked him playfully, telling him to stop the misleading act, to which the man responded with a loud laugh to. They continued to joke around and discuss some external matters. It was like nothing substantial happened between them. Like the fit of confessions prior to this was nothing but a fever dream.


    In the end, their conversation was cut off short because Xu Jiaqi was called to perform her part in this party, so He Yiyuan was once again left alone.


    During her stay, she had helped the place so much, and contributed to the betterment of lots of problems. People thought that they would already be used to Xu Jiaqi''s exceptional beauty, but who knew that the lady would be able to take it one step further and look even more dazzling? This caused her to gain a lot of traction from the people, and it could be said that she was rather famous not only for her countless achievements, but also her charms.


    Words of praises were quickly thrown around, and He Yiyuan observed everything unfold before his own eyes. Today could''ve gone two ways. Had Xu Jiaqi accepted him, he would''ve stood beside her on the stage she was currently speaking on, and they would''ve been able to announce their relationship rightfully.


    A regretful smile appeared on his face.


    "My lord, I spot a peculiar expression on your face. Are you beginning to regret it? She hasn''t left yet, there''s still time for us to hold her back. You just need to say the word, and we will make sure that she becomes the future Queen." Zheng Jianyu appeared out of nowhere and waved his hand over He Yiyuan''s face, teasing him.


    "Shut up, Jianyu. How many times must I tell you that I am going to move on from her?" He Yiyuan batted He Yiyuan''s hand away and started to walk away to lose the man''s approach.


    "..Hm. You might say that, but it doesn''t really seem like that''s the case.." Zheng Jianyu sighed as he watched his lord, his lifetime''s best friend walk away. If he focused hard enough, it was as if he was able to see a faint dejected shadow looming behind the man. "Ah, what am I going to do with this mess of a man? He''s too kind for his own good, even after all the pushing I''ve given him."


    With both hands on his hips, Zheng Jianyu huffed and followed after He Yiyuan, telling the man to wait for him to catch up.


    ______


    Xu Jiaqi was the star of the show, so she was naturally met with a lot of reactions from the people that she have worked with for the past five years. There was just as much people that hated her as much as those who were fond of her, obviously. She couldn''t help but notice the stares of some of the attendees, which conveyed happiness and led her to harbor a set of strange thoughts.


    As she dined on the delicacies served, she was circled by a group of people, who each had their own thoughts to share. They greeted her and started up many topics, creating a merry atmosphere around the party.


    Xu Jiaqi happily engaged in the talks without much restraint.


    "Thank you for your service, Miss Xu. Your existence has been a great help to us, and I don''t think that we could be the same any longer once you choose to go back to your homeland.. But this was bound to happen someday, so we should''ve prepared ourselves for it a lot, right?" One person began to touch upon the topic of her leaving her post.

 Chapter 152 - 3.48

    Many fields were indebted to Xu Jiaqi. If it wasn''t for her, a lot of it wouldn''t have thrived as much as it did right now.


    "Yes, I think that Miss Xu has earned every single bit of success she got here. I really respect you. I wish you good luck in Xian Ruo, and may you always be blessed!" Another one chimed in.


    "We will miss you, Miss Xu! You are always revolutionary with your ideas, I believe that you would be able to bring Xian Ruo to a high point. Perhaps, one day, we will reunite once more as business partners or even rivals!"


    "You know, I thought.. you and the King has some secret affairs that nobody knows of. You guys would look great together, but alas... If it''s your choice to go back to Xian Ruo, what can we do?" A former coworker of hers spoke.


    Silence began to ensue.


    Her statement brought a lot of eyes towards Xu Jiaqi''s way. In the eyes of the others, although it was not as obvious thanks to He Yiyuan knowing how to conduct himself in front of a large audience, people still had their speculations. After all, this was the first time the Dragon of Xi had shown this much preferential treatment over another human being apart from his very small circle of people he trusted.


    The fact that he was willing to bring this girl in without her having proper credentials was already a shocker to begin with, and the way he treated her after she settled in made many more rumors spurt out, discussing their relationship.


    Xu Jiaqi was certainly someone special to the King, but what status exactly did she hold?


    "..There''s nothing like that. The King and me are good friends, but that''s it. I believe that our personalities and interests matched with each other, and that was why we were able to get along very well. But regarding love, or all that stuff.. You should leave that kind of thoughts behind. It will never happen, you see?" Xu Jiaqi helplessly smiled.


    She wasn''t expecting someone to be this frank about the matter, so she was a bit taken aback.


    "But.. I think that you suit him well. He suits you too. Someone as brilliant as our Miss Xu, how can a normal person satisfy her? The same goes for the King, of course. You two would be a very powerful couple! There were actually a lot of people who have been waiting for a spark of love formed between our two important figures~"


    "Who are you people to discuss my love matters? Am I someone who you can freely talk about in such a manner?" He Yiyuan ended up stepping in, a stern look present on his face. His glare contained a lot of intimidation, and it instantly ceased the small talk and pushed the people away from Xu Jiaqi''s surroundings.


    He Yiyuan warded all of the bugs off before looking towards Xu Jiaqi and sighing, wanting to scold her. But how could he do it? As such, he settled for a tamer response.


    "..Sorry. This wasn''t my plan at all. I truly just wanted to send you off with a formal party. Going off without one would just seem like you might''ve committed something wrong to be expelled out of the Kingdom.." He Yiyuan wasn''t able to look into Xu Jiaqi''s eyes, wondering how she might''ve reacted to the situation.


    If this caused her to bear dislike towards him, it would hurt even more.


    "...Please don''t fret over it. it''s not your fault. It''s entirely theirs for bringing it up in the first place. Besides, there''s nothing that forces me to listen to those kinds of comments... Thank you for fending them off, though. I was.. a bit surprised, so I wasn''t able to react properly or make a good comeback towards their words." Xu Jiaqi shrugged, sighing as she pursed her lips.


    The party''s mood certainly dampened after the confrontation, and it had an awkward feel to it. Xu Jiaqi distanced from the others, feeling that staying quiet and out of the spotlight would be her best bet at detaching herself from the rumors.


    Everything would end as long as she left this place safe and sound.


    Thinking about returning to Xian Ruo, a smile almost bloomed on her face unconsciously. Although she did have attachments to this place, where she had lived in for the majority of her time after being transmigrated, Xian Ruo was different. It was different because of a certain person who governed over it.


    The one her soul had implications with, Xie Yongrui.


    Exactly how would he react towards her return? It was rather exciting to think about it.


    "He Yiyuan, have you told my lord that I will be returning? Or perhaps, was there someone from Xian Ruo that you told about this?"


    "No, I thought that you would want to arrange it yourself. Was I wrong? You like the element of surprise, and thsi would be a perfect chance to surprise Xie Yongrui and shock him to the core."


    "Perfect. You are completely right, I wish to shock him so hard that his jaw falls on the floor." Xu Jiaqi chuckled lightly.


    As time passed, the party was concluded with a rather heavy tone since He Yiyuan showed traces of anger. It was a shame, since this would be their last public appearance together. In the future, more chances may appear, but it wouldn''t be the same as the current timeline they were in.


    "...Please take care even after I leave. You were quite the handful. You almost made me hold a grudge because of how hard it is to work with you sometimes. Listen to Zheng Jianyu a lot, he is a smart and sensible person. You are a bit rash, so your combination with him is truly spectacular. What else can I say.. Ah, right."


    Xu Jiaqi broke into a wide smile, one that truly made He Yiyuan stagger and gape his mouth open.


    "I loved my time here. It''s going to be an irreplaceable memory of mine. Thank you for bringing this prosperous Kingdom up.." Xu Jiaqi said, tapping He Yiyuan on his shoulder and leaving him flustered.

 Chapter 153 - 3.49

    The final goodbye was rather bittersweet for all parties involved. There were many that weren''t on board with the idea of Xu Jiaqi returning, to the point where they asked the lord to reconsider this poor decision, saying that losing Xu Jiaqi would be terrible for them.


    To this, He Yiyuan took care of all the opposition by berating them instead, scolding how they became dependent on a foreigner that wasn''t bound to them in the  first place. Embarrassed, the fire of those who wanted Xu Jiaqi to stay slowly died down after she left the Kingdom for good.


    He Yiyuan assured Xu Jiaqi that there would be no complications surfacing from the concerned parts, and the latter trusted his words since she knew how serious he could be.


    ''Honestly, I''m glad that He Yiyuan is He Yiyuan. If he had a different set of personality.. Who knows where I''ll be right now?'' Xu Jiaqi commented.


    [Host, if he was any different, would you even tolerate him?]


    ''Nope. There''s a line that mustn''t be crossed by anyone.''


    Xu Jiaqi rode a carriage back home, and had to go through a series of stops before she was finally back in Xian Ruo. From there, she went undercover and contacted Lin separately from anybody else''s eyes. She asked for assistance, wanting to give a surprise to Xie Yongrui.


    Thus, Xu Jiaqi''s return ended up being unknown to most, and no news travelled to the lord''s ears.


    While Xu Jiaqi was headed towards his private living quarters, Xie Yongrui was working hard. During all these years, it could be said that a large part of his motivation sourced from Xu Jiaqi''s own hard work. Whenever the Xi''s people delivered riches and benefits for them as part of the treaty, Xie Yongrui would feel a burning desire to grow as much as they could so that Xu Jiaqi would no longer have to work there for them to prosper faster. He wanted to make it so that they could fend for themselves forever and after.


    The people who he worked with also noticed that the lord was much more conscientious in his work after Xu Jiaqi left. This was not to say that Xu Jiaqi was a bad influence on him, but rather that she became the fuel for his fighting spirit in bettering Xian Ruo.


    As he was focused on doing his work, the door was slowly opened without notice, which obviously drew Xie Yongrui''s displeasure. He wondered who would be so bold as to intrude on him when he was staying in his private quarters and not his work room.


    "Who is that?! I''m sure that I told you-" His eyes shot straight to the door, wanting to see who dared to disobey his iron rule. Within seconds of recognizing who this stranger was, he stood up abruptly and dropped all is work down.


    "My lord, I have returned." Xu Jiaqi''s figure appeared before Xie Yongrui''s eyes, making him question himself on whether or not he was dreaming. Her voice was gentle and warm, and there was a faint glow that shone around her. "I can''t believe that your very first words after I return would be in that sort of tone.. Am I not welcome here, perhaps?"


    "Qiqi... Is that you? Is that really you?" Xie Yongrui couldn''t think straight. There were no possible ways he could describe how much he had missed the girl who was currently in front of him. He had spent many long nights just thinking about her and lamenting over the fact that she was in a faraway Kingdom, and he wasn''t able to come and pick her up.


    That she had to act as a sacrifice in order to create a pivotal turn for Xian Ruo. He was constantly torn between his land and the woman he longed for. The one he made a promise with. The one he was supposed to surprise.


    But somehow, the one who ended up getting surprised was him.


    Although he was blanking out, he still found the energy within himself to get up and try to touch Xu Jiaqi. Feel her presence. Confirm that she was really there and that she wasn''t just a figment of her imagination.


    After all, this wasn''t the first time that he had vividly dreamed about her coming back to him. Not the first time that he daydreamed about that kind of thing.


    However, there was an instinctive feeling inside him that this time was different. That Xu Jiaqi''s return was real. He hugged her tight, so tight that Xu Jiaqi thought that she was being suffocated for a moment. She clenched the other''s clothes tight.


    Xu Jiaqi was slightly surprised by Xie Yongrui''s sudden moves, but she also understood that both of them had never acquired a chance to actually bond with each other. After they technically voiced out their feelings to each other, they had to be separated. She sighed, deciding to relent and softly comfort the man who was on the verge of breaking down inside her embrace.


    Xie Yongrui was choking, struggling to breathe. He wanted to say a lot of things, but he couldn''t decide which one to say first. There were so many things that he wished to tell her during all these years. How much he missed her. How much he longed for her during the lonely nights. Her presence, the one that he found comfort in, was stolen from him.


    Now that she was back, he actually couldn''t manage to foster up the calmness to speak properly. He just gritted his teeth, trying to hold back the onslaught of tears threatening to spill out. His heartbeat pumped like it had just finished running a full on marathon, and he was sure that the woman he loved could hear it.


    His nose stung, and he wasn''t sure how much longer he could hold back for, so he buried himself even deeper in their embrace, not wanting to show Xu Jiaqi the pathetic side of him when this was supposed to be their happy reunion. He was supposed to laugh and rejoice at her presence, but he struggled to do that.


    "My lord, if you continue burying your head and not looking at me directly, I will leave and go back to Xi, alright?" Xu Jiaqi giggled.

 Chapter 154 - 3.50

    Of course, she did not mean it. Her place was in Xian Ruo, right here beside him. Why would she go back there when she had just finally managed to return here?


    "No! Qiqi, don''t joke about that kind of thing, you can''t do that.." Xie Yongrui instantly became frantic, and threw himself over Xu Jiaqi even harder, burdening the other with his weight.


    "I thought that.. the first thing I will be receiving when I show up would be a grand surprise, but all I get is a crushing bear hug? Not that I''m complaining, though. You make me feel warm nonetheless."


    "..You''ve been gone for so long. I convinced myself that I would stay calm after you come back.. But I can''t even do that. There''s.. too much to.. process. Qiqi, please give me some more time.." Xie Yongrui refused to get off her, clutching her tightly. "I do have a surprise for you, but I''m not in a condition to do it.."


    He was akin to a child who had just retrieved his most precious thing. Seeing him like this made Xu Jiaqi''s heart warm up.


    "..Then calm down first. We have a lot to catch up on. My lord, you''ve matured. You look so different from when I went away." Xu Jiaqi loosened her hair pin, since it was bothering her when Xie Yongrui held her tight.


    "You.. too. You look so beautiful.. Exactly how I imagined you would be in my dreams."


    "Ao, did you dream about me a lot? That makes me happy~" Xu Jiaqi let out a small sigh. "Rui, you''ve gotten so big~ I didn''t really grow up that much. It makes me feel slightly dejected. You''re handsome, much more than anybody I''ve ever seen. Ah, you also did great without me.. Look at how high you''ve brought Xian Ruo to. My time spent in Xi wasn''t a waste after all."


    "...Qiqi, what are you doing?"


    "Praising you, of course? During these five years, I couldn''t praise you like I regularly do, so I need to uplift you with my words."


    Xie Yongrui pouted, feeling like he should be the one to praise her for all she did for Xian Ruo. The news of her accomplishments were spread far, and she deserved a ton of praise for her existence itself. But he had trouble talking and sorting out his thoughts, so he feared that Xu Jiaqi would end up getting the wrong idea instead.


    He took deep breaths in and out, trying to compose himself. Then, he removed her from his grip, standing up and going to a compartment in the room to take out a certain something.


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyes softened upon seeing the small box held inside Xie Yongrui''s hand. He tried to hide it, but the box itself was already exquisite to begin with. Judging by the context and size, it was impossible to escape Xu Jiaqi''s gaze.


    It should be jewelry. Although this was set in ancient times, where the concept of engagement rings wasn''t  made to be a tradition yet, there was still a lot of people who exchanged pieces of jewelry to honor a promise or a connection.


    "Qiqi.. My treasured person. I know that you don''t like to be tied down to anything, but.. I truly hold you in the deepest parts of my heart.." Xie Yongrui was still fumbling a lot with his words. Expressing his emotions in a clear cut way was not his forte, and not to mention, he was extremely nervous.


    "Rui, I''m not too keen on people who say too much unnecessary stuff. If you could do me the favor of getting straight to the point, I would like it very much." Xu Jiaqi sighed as she cut the man off, massaging his shoulders in a circular manner to help relax the man''s tensed up poise.


    As much as she found the man lovable when he started to ramble like this, she preferred more straightforward ways of expressing one''s emotions. There were not much that could be extracted from simply just speaking words without actually executing the actions behind those words.


    Xu Jiaqi advocated for proving oneself by actions, and not just by words. Words could be spoken easily, but fulfilling the repercussions that followed those words, especially promises, was the part that not everybody could follow.


    She did like love talk, but not ones that were too dragged out. Professing one''s love should be done in a simple manner, sincere and concise so that the other party would be able to get the important meaning directly without having to screw around with flowery words.


    "...In short, during the time that you were away, I''ve figured everything out. Your existence is special to me, much more special than anything else that I have ever held in my life. Xu Jiaqi, I love you and would like to spend the rest of my life with you." Xie Yongrui followed Xu Jiaqi''s advice, taking out the box and showing it to her.


    He clasped the first red box and opened it, revealing a pair of golden rings with white jade stones embedded in the socket. Just by seeing the pieces, you could tell that it must''ve had an astronomical cost.


    "It''s beautiful... Matching jewelry. Since when do you know my ring size, though? Will it fit perfectly?"


    "I.. actually had sent a letter to Xi.. When you attended banquets, I had your ring measurement sent to me. It was hard to convince He Yiyuan, and I don''t know why, but he ended up giving in and sent the measurements under his name a month ago?" He Yiyuan stuttered in his speech as he took out the ring and held it in his hand, looking up towards Xu Jiaqi to look at her reaction.


    Xu Jiaqi burst into a small fit of laughter upon seeing Xie Yongrui''s clumsy act. Why did he use such an elaborate method in order to get her ring size? There were so many other ways, why did he have to go through He Yiyuan?


    "Qiqi.. What do you say? How do you feel about me?" Xie Yongrui saw that Xu Jiaqi was getting distracted and put the ring forward for her to see.


    "Isn''t it obvious? Rui, you''ve been in my mind ever since I left for Xi. Just like you chose me and remembered me for all this time, waited for me to come back patiently... I also choose you.

 Chapter 155 - 3.51

    "I want to stay with you. Will you do the honors of sliding the ring in? I''m waiting.." Xu Jiaqi took Xie Yongrui''s hand and kissed the ring gently, her eyes pandering to the man with interest.


    Xie Yongrui was shaken up badly. With trembling hands, he lingered around Xu Jiaqi''s slender hands. Feeling up the fingers in his, giving Xu Jiaqi a ticklish sensation as he slid the ring onto her finger.


    "..It looks beautiful on you, Qiqi." Xie Yongrui was happy with the result, and lowered his head to place a kiss on the ring the same way Xu Jiaqi did.


    Xu Jiaqi''s gaze softened. She slid the other ring on his finger, and looked at the end picture. They intertwined their hands, and the beautiful rings clinked against each other.


    [Congratulations, Host! But.. I thought that you didn''t want to involve yourself in romance? There is no romance related quests in this world, so why would you deliberately choose to be by his side..?] The System asked.


    If it was truly like the Host said, if she ignored all steps of love and just focused on her missions, then this exchange would''ve never occurred, right? Could it be, the change in his Host is also a result of coming in contact with that man, to the point where she was able to desire love in such a short time?


    ''..I just thought that it would be lovely to have a companion. In the last world, staying with Zenith made me comfortable. Xie Yongrui carries his soul, and I don''t find him repulsive. I don''t think there''s a bad side to this?'' Xu Jiaqi frowned. She thought that the System would be the first one to applaud her choice, seeing as to how he was visibly worried when her tutorial world had romance quests and she voiced out a complaint.


    Shouldn''t he be happy now that she was starting to accept romance influences little by little?


    Xu Jiaqi noted down this strangeness. Come to think of it, what about her tutorial world? Qin Zicheng, the man she had to love for the sake of her mission. Was his soul also part of Zenith and Xie Yongrui?


    She noticed that she only got sensitive to the changes after her incident with Zenith. If from the tutorial world, the soul already followed her around, it would certainly be even more delightful. Thinking of this, her memories of the previous worlds became significantly better.


    Xie Yongrui''s surprise did not end there. The second box, which was slightly larger than the previous one, was brought to the front. He did not open it by himself, but instead gave it to her in entirety.


    Xu Jiaqi''s curiosity was aroused, and she opened the box to find an intricate knot, braided with fine details that were pleasing to look at. Upon touching it, she instantly felt a strange wave of soothing power come and enter her. Similar to the one she experienced in the past.


    ''..Magical energy, or should I say... divinity?'' Xu Jiaqi couldn''t resist her happiness. All the clues pointed to Xie Yongrui starting to regain his divinity even if he wasn''t aware that he was doing that in the first place.


    "This is.. a knot you made personally? It''s a unique gift coming from you. I like it very much." Xu Jiaqi held it close to her heart, careful as to not damage it in the process of restraining her excitement.


    "Yes. I want to take care of you for eternity, so this knot is the first.. symbol for that. I wish that protection will be by your side whenever I''m not able to keep my eyes on you." Xie Yongrui finally straightened up, gaining confidence and bravery in his advances.


    He reached his hand out, stroking Xu Jiaqi''s cheek and leaning in for a kiss. Touching her ears was an accident, but he was met with a great reaction. Xu Jiaqi tried to move away from his touch, letting out a small, muffled sound.


    Xie Yongrui blinked repeatedly, and his mind connected the dots with haste.


    "Ohh~ My sweet Qiqi, are you perhaps.. sensitive to light touches?" Xie Yongrui''s devious side jumped out. He grazed Xu Jiaqi''s ears, moving down to her neck. Using kisses and his fingers, he teased the other party.


    "..It''s ticklish. Stop that, or I''m going to take revenge!" Xu Jiaqi held Xie Yongrui''s head with her palm, trying to stop his moves.


    "What will be my lady''s revenge? I will do whatever you want.. As long as you stay by my side. Whether you''re cherishing or punishing me, I just want you to.. stay by my side." Xie Yongrui had a sly gaze, slowly letting the wolf in him come out.


    He continued to snuggle against Xu Jiaqi''s neck, which he found out to be a sensitive area for her. He placed kisses and lightly bit the skin, drawing some interesting sounds from the woman.


    "My revenge.. Let''s see.. How about we play around a bit?" Xu Jiaqi finally had it. She didn''t like the feeling of being at mercy just because her body was extremely sensitive to the touches.


    He didn''t know why, but Xie Yongrui felt a sense of foreboding fear. His instincts were warning him and screaming at him to not let her proceed. For what was about to come.. would be a big shocker.


    Indeed, Xie Yongrui''s instincts were correct.


    "My lord, Rui, you mustn''t use your hands. Keep them by the side~" Xu Jiaqi brought out a black silk cloth that was fit to be a blindfold. She wrapped the cloth around his eyes, successfully covering his vision.


    From then, it was her time to have fun. Xu Jiaqi had Xie Yongrui lay on the bed and his upper body was stripped naked. Xie Yongrui was naturally full of questions, being embarrassed at the start. However, he still complied, letting her do her thing.


    Xu Jiaqi was an expert.


    Let the fact be reiterated, as there is still an innocent lamb who can''t understand this simple fact.


    And the lamb, who thought that he was the wolf, was going to be eaten by the real wolf.

 Chapter 156 - 3.52 [M]

    Xu Jiaqi took Xie Yongrui''s feather pen and began tickling him using the brush in the most bizarre positions. His hands couldn''t move, but they weren''t restrained. The outcome would have to depend on Xie Yongrui''s tenacity on following this onslaught of punishment. How long he could hold back from regaining control.


    Xie Yongrui''s lips were tightened. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva. No words could even begin to describe the sensations he was feeling right now. He was torn between feeling confused and pleasured. He felt squeamish, like he was entirely exposed in front of the one he loved.


    In exchange, he wasn''t able to see her at all, which brought anguish to him. He didn''t resist her touches, which brought a delirious experience to him. The fact that behind this thin cloth covering his eyes, his beloved person must be having a lot of fun doing whatever she wanted.


    As time progressed, he began to want freedom, wanting to see and touch her. Caress her, make her fall under his loving gestures.


    Xu Jiaqi crawled up to his face, sliding her index finger from his forehead, tracing down to his nose, and then the lips. She pried them open, revealing a set of pearly white teeth.


    "Open up." Xu Jiaqi instructed, to which the man followed.


    Xu Jiaqi inserted one finger into the opening. "Lick."


    And so he did.


    Covering her long fingers in his saliva, lapping his tongue over it.


    She inserted another one, and he continued his act, until three fingers have been inserted and Xu Jiaqi stopped her act. She pulled them out, and raised Xie Yongrui''s chin upwards to with the wet finger. "Look at how good you are... Have you repented for what you''ve done?"


    Xu Jiaqi was honestly feeling like the situation was laughable. She started it as a joke, but the man actually followed through, making her quite excited as well.


    She kissed him, much more deeper than what they have ever had. Their tongues battled with each other, the lips smashed together as if both parties were hungry for the slightest touches that could occur between them.


    "Do you still dare to tickle me again, to the point where you don''t refuse my punishment?" Xu Jiaqi wiped the corner of her mouth as she gasped for breath, a red flush covering her face as she nuzzled up against the man''s exposed body. Their scents mixed with each other.


    Both Xu Jiaqi and Xie Yongrui were picky about smell, and they found each other desirable in those terms.


    "Qiqi.. Could I remove the fabric?" Xie Yongrui let out a gasp as Xu Jiaqi pecked around his nether region. She breathed over it, and the warmth of said air made him twitch.


    Xu Jiaqi noticed that a tent was forming, creating a protruding shape out of his clothes. She raised a brow, highly fascinated by the fact that Xie Yongrui''s little brother rose with her provoking touches when she didn''t even stimulate that part except for the last bit.


    She giggled, her voice sounding like clear ringing bells. Her hands found their way up to the blindold she placed, and slowly took them off and revealed her enchanting beauty.


    "Who am I to refuse such a tempting offer?" Xu Jiaqi grinned as she circled her arm around his neck, relishing in the fact that he was so gentle and asked her multiple times throughout the intercourse, wondering if she was comfortable or not.


    Truly, how cute.


    Xie Yongrui was not a virgin, nor was he unaware of pleasuring techniques. Although he was not someone who engaged in debauchery, his first time did get stolen by someone else years ago. It was part of a trap, or as one of his attendants said, a form of ''training''.


    He found the idea disgusting, and the moment he gained his freedom, he refused to go all the way with a woman, remembering the downright traumatic moment of the day he was coerced into having intercourse as a literal teen. A rotten memory that he didn''t want to recall. The attendant was now dead, and it was his fault for placing trust in that person just solely based on the fact that he was someone who followed him out of the castle after the uprising.


    Xie Yongrui inserted his fingers into Xu Jiaqi''s flower hole, making scissor-like movements to stretch it out. His free hand continued to touch her other parts, not wanting her to feel like any part of her body was unattended.


    "Your fingers.. So sloppy. Rui, do you know how fun it is seeing you melt down like this? Your gaze.. They''re so clouded, different from your usual clear eyes." Xu Jiaqi stretched out her hand to pat Xie Yongrui on the head, which caused him to frown, not wanting to be treated like a child by the one he loved. It wasn''t a matter of pride, but he became more motivated as a result of it.


    "Thinking that I was the reason for it.. Makes me quite happy." Xu Jiaqi giggled.


    Xie Yongrui pursed his lips, going down on her and starting to lick her. He played with her clitoris, sucking it and opening the flaps to insert his tongue in it.


    "Akh- Where on Earth did you learn.. such- a thing?" Xu Jiaqi felt jolts run up her body as Xie Yongrui continued to devour her, his tongue lapping the honey cave at a vigorous pace. The hand that was once placed on Xie Yongrui''s head to tease and provoke him now became a pillar for her stability as she tried to hold back the many moans that her sensitive body wanted to dish out.


    Sensing that the other party was pleased by his moves, he began to heighten his pace and drove Xu Jiaqi near climax with each passing second he pried deeper into the twitching hole.


    "God.. Stop, that''s enough for me. Come up here, Rui." Xu Jiaqi gasped for air as she tugged on his hair lightly, making Xie Yongrui''s head shot up and gaze sensually at her.


    He was definitely not in his brightest moment, being intoxicated by the unfurling situation.

 Chapter 157 - 3.53 [M]

    Though, he obeyed the call and stopped his advances, slithering his hand upwards and holding her with care.


    They shared a passionate kiss, indecent sounds starting to echo throughout the room. The atmosphere thickened, and Xu Jiaqi''s playful hand began to move downwards to touch her partner''s little brother.


    Feeling Xu Jiaqi''s fluttery touches, Xie Yongrui''s breath hitched, and he withdrew from the kiss to gather more clarity on what was happening. A line of saliva formed between their previously conjoined lips, dripping down as they speak.


    "Do you like it? When I.. do this?" Xu Jiaqi fervently tugged on the member, enticing the other party with further small touches to tease him towards the ending.


    Then, Xu Jiaqi suddenly had a fun idea that she wanted to try out. She detached herself from their tangling bodies and pushed Xie Yongrui down on the soft mattress, a sneaky look present on her face. Her eyelashes batted as she smiled, unraveling the rest of the man''s clothes, purposely stalling the time to get his tension up.


    The man''s member was revealed before her, and she started moving her hand in and up and down motion, stroking the hard on. Her soft and supple skin was the perfect stimulant for Xie Yongrui. He sat up and tried to converse with Xu Jiaqi, but the more he looked at her, the more he found it to be too much of a scene.


    That wasn''t it. How could that be it?


    Xu Jiaqi wanted to take it to the next level. She got her face closer to the long and thick rod, sticking out her tongue and licking it from the base to the tip, twirling it around. Her fingers played with his pair of balls and strove to draw as much reaction as possible from him.


    "You did me a favor.. and made me feel good. I should reward our good boy for that, right?" Xu Jiaqi pushed her long hair behind her ear as she engulfed the man''s penis, sucking it while maintaining eye contact. It was sloppy, since Xu Jiaqi''s mouth was way too small for the member''s size. She had a hard time stretching her jaws to accommodate for it.


    "Qiqi- You don''t need to do this.. Hn!" Xie Yongrui was heavily affected by the filthy treatment, and placed his hand on top of Xu Jiaqi''s head, which was bopping up and down while sucking at the same time. Indecent sounds filled up the whole room, and it brought Xie Yongrui to cloud nine. Not purely because of the pleasure he was being given, but also the fact that this was Xu Jiaqi, his beloved woman, working to satisfy him.


    To say that he didn''t have any carnal desire would be a complete lie. There were too many dreams he had about the woman that involved all the things he longed to do with her. He was obsessed with everything about her, to the point where it  felt like an addiction. Being with Xu Jiaqi was just as potent as being dead drunk, if not much more.


    "Rui.. Don''t hold back. I will accept all that you give me." Xu Jiaqi released the rod and tilted her head, hovering over it .


    A crazed light flashed through Xie Yongrui''s eyes as his head heated up, the pure pleasure and happiness the situation was giving to him overwhelming his thoughts.


    "Qiqi, tell me if you feel uncomfortable. I might have a bit of trouble stopping, so I want you to slap me with all your power if I cross the line." Xie Yongrui took a deep breath in as he started to take the wheel and continued with the foreplay that they left off moments ago.


    "En, go as far as you like. It''s a present for you." Xu Jiaqi chuckled, feeling her voice start to get hoarse after her showcase of giving him a blowjob. It''s sad that she didn''t get him to ejaculate, since she wanted to see how his expression would turn out to be, but this is also fine.


    They were both completely naked. Xu Jiaqi wrapped her legs around Xie Yongrui for better leverage, and the man positioned the tip of his member carefully.


    "I''m... Qiqi, can you feel me?"


    Unexpectedly, he felt a lot more nervous. He thought that all the heat would''ve calmed his nerves down, but he was a lot more mindful of everything.


    "I can.. Your little brother is so excited, isn''t it?"


    The tip of his cock pried open the layers of flesh, and situated itself in front of the hole. It was fully ready to penetrate through, but Xie Yongrui still harbored hesitation. It took him the entirety of his self control to not plunge in because he was afraid for his woman.


    "Qiqi.. are you sure? I won''t force you to do this with me.. If you''re scared, or anything.. We can take this slowly, we can''t be hasty. This isn''t.. something that should be done at the heat of the moment."


    "..Rui, do you not believe me when I said that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you?"


    "There is a phrase that you haven''t uttered yet, right?"


    "What...?"


    "Qiqi, I love you." Xie Yongrui said out of nowhere, and Xu Jiaqi was instantly able to tell what the man had been fussing about.


    A declaration of love. Although she was willing to get down for some intimate sex, she wasn''t someone who carelessly threw around phrases like that. Xie Yongrui must''ve felt quite disturbed by this fact, and perhaps thought that she was just going with him.


    Xu Jiaqi mused about the situation for a few seconds before sighing. "Rui, I think you have yourself a misunderstanding at hand. If I wasn''t attracted to you, I wouldn''t be wanting to do this kind of thing with you. As for love.. Are we even ready to utter such things yet? Rui, surely you haven''t forgotten about.. How long we''ve been together. I thought that you were going to wait for me. Could you wait for this matter?" Xu Jiaqi resolved the situation with care.


    She grabbed Xie Yongrui''s face and inserted her thumb into his mouth.


    "Less talk, more action."

 Chapter 158 - 3.54 [M]

    "I crave you, and that, to me, is more than enough reason for anything else. We both desire each other, right?"


    "..I understand." Xie Yongrui was further bewitched by her and slowly began to insert his length into her.


    Xu Jiaqi moaned, adding whimpers here and there at the foreign object trying to make its way into her.


    "That''s right.. Ahh, God. Rui, Is this your first time?"


    His member settled in, completely consumed by Xu Jiaqi''s tight walls.


    "It isn''t.. But this is the first time I''ve split the control with my partner. My first.. Let''s not talk about that, it''s not a good thing to remember. Focus on me, en?" Xie Yongrui kissed her, and let the tip of their noses bump against each other.


    "Well, too bad for you. I''m someone who wouldn''t just lay around in bed. You have to match my tastes if you want to be with me, hn?" Xu Jiaqi wasn''t mad, but she was a bit irked by the fact that she wasn''t his first.


    Though, it was rather understandable from his position. She had researched deeply into him, so without him answering her question, she actually already learned of what happened to Xie Yongrui. How he was led around to be brainwashed, and how he was lucky enough to get out of it quickly. Hell, he was almost trapped and thrown into a pit of drug addiction once by the people who wanted to scheme against him in a rather unjustly way.


    "...Yes, dear." Xie Yongrui didn''t defy her and just laid there , tugging on her to be on top of him. "The control is all yours now."


    "Haahh.. Shit. Give me a second.. this body is way- too.. Urk." Xu Jiaqi moaned continuously, it was as if her whole body was a pleasure point. The meat rod inside her had a protruding tip that scraped her nicely every time she moved, and her body reacted to each stroke with so much stimulation that Xu Jiaqi rolled her head back.


    Even if she wanted to take control, it was hard on her part.


    Xu Jiaqi had to say, Xie Yongrui was definitely blessed with his package. His size and shape was just the right thing. Perfect just like the rest of this man.


    Bouncing on top of him, Xu Jiaqi''s body started to get off to the mixture of sensations happening to her. Her honey cave was dripping with liquid, and squelchy sounds reverberated across the entire place, combined with the skin against skin effects.


    Xie Yongrui covered his mouth, wanting to hold back the incessant grunts his body wanted to let out. He looked slightly abashed, tot he point of biting his arm just to not let her hear.


    "My lord.. Is this counted as me giving you a surprise, or is it the opposite way?" Xu Jiaqi worked tirelessly, moving her hips. Xie Yongrui saw his length peek out and disappear seconds after seconds.


    "Qiqi, would you let me continue my part of the surprise, then?" Xie Yongrui was at the brink of his limits.


    "Mmn~ What should we do? I''m having a lot of fun up here."


    "You don''t want to share that fun even with me?"


    "I suppose I could let you taste some of it!" Xu Jiaqi squeezed the man''s thighs, to which he responded with getting up and holding Xu Jiaqi by her buttocks.


    They shared another hot kiss, before Xie Yongrui flipped their position around and started to hammer into her, plunging in an out relentlessly of the abused hole stretched beyond beliefs to match Xie Yongrui''s girth.


    "Yes- God, fuck.. Don''t slow down, carve yourself deep into me..!" Xu Jiaqi held on to Xie Yongrui for dear life as she was pummeled again and again by the vigorous energy Xie Yongrui had. His piston movement allowed his long, hard dick to reach the deepest parts of her body.


    Her entire body was shaking, as she felt like she was about to go crazy. The room temperature was hot, considering that it was still daytime as they did the deed. A flashing thought about people passing and hearing their activities let a reddish flush cover her face.


    "Qiqi, don''t you think that we are a match made in heaven?" Xie Yongrui fondled her ample breasts, making sure that Xu Jiaqi would feel as full as possible.


    "Sssh. I''m not in the mood to talk about that kind of cheesy stuff.." Xu Jiaqi gasped for air as Xie Yongrui thrusted deep into her in one go after pulling out entirely. She gritted her teeth, finding Xie Yongrui''s contrast of being excessively caring and this beastly side of his quite amusing.


    Xie Yongrui used his free hand to further stimulate her, rubbing her clitoris and adding pressure on her lower stomach.


    Xu Jiaqi felt a new wave of pleasure wash over her, and she let out a high pitched whine, clenching her walls. The clamping movement made Xie Yongrui frown over the tightness. It felt like his meat was being absorbed by her, and that he wouldn''t be able to leave this warm cave.


    "Relax, Qiqi. I won''t be able to move.."


    "Sorry.. this body''s reaction is way too.. should I say Godly?" Xu Jiaqi slithered her hand around Xie Yongrui''s neck.


    Xie Yongrui continued to pump his length into her. Both of them knew that the climax was near and it was coming soon. They made out, latching their bodies against each other without care as to what was happening. They were covered in sweat, and couldn''t really decipher what they were doing.


    Chasing pleasure and satisfaction.


    The bed was creaking in a distorted rhythm, and their eyes closed off, feeling like they would be able to see stars anytime soon.


    In a few more deep thrusts, Xie Yongrui''s body shook with pleasure, and white liquid spurted out of his length, spilling into Xu Jiaqi''s womb. At the same time, Xu Jiaqi reached her own climax and came. The warmth was relieving, but Xu Jiaqi wasn''t fully satisfied yet.


    "...Second round?" Xu Jiaqi asked, blinking her seemingly innocent eyes.


    "Yes, of course, milady." Xie Yongrui lightly chuckled at the woman''s shameless disposition and lowered her body to bite her bottom lip, starting to move again.


    "Ha! Scrap all of that gentleman act and just fuck me senseless.." Xu Jiaqi didn''t know what was it that propelled her to even act this dirtily, but she just wanted to be loved, she craved for the action.

 Chapter 159 - 3.55

    Perhaps it was because she was separated from the man for so long, but she didn''t want to let go of him, let go of his touches and moves. With their unbending spirits, the pair continued to entangle themselves with each other, not realizing how much time had passed.


    They were focused on each other, and by the time they realized it, the only thing that stopped them was exhaustion. Falling asleep after the whole tirade.


    A few hours later, Xie Yongrui woke up from his slumber and immediately saw Xu Jiaqi''s face panned before him. It brought him shock, but also immeasurable happiness.


    He was a light sleeper to begin with, before even meeting Xu Jiaqi. But as time passed, when the woman frequently occupied his thoughts, he began to have more and more sleepless nights. Being separated from her turned out to be a very painful experience, one that he would not be willing to repeat.


    Seeing her right after waking up like this made him believe that he would soon be able to recover longer hours of sleep in contrast to what she had been experiencing this far.


    He stroked Xu Jiaqi''s cheeks gently, and brushed her hair a bit. Both of them fell asleep while staying unclothed, and there was only a thin blanket covering them. Xie Yongrui got up and retrieved a thicker mantle to cover them up with.


    "..Good thing that my subordinates knew better than to intrude." Xie Yongrui mumbled. He missed a whole day without appearing in front of them, but they didn''t come to find him. They must''ve realized what was happening just by knowing that Xu Jiaqi was back here.


    He looked at the woman''s tired sleeping face, soothing the subtle frown formed on her forehead with his finger. "I still can''t bring myself to believe what happened.. But I''m very happy with you, Qiqi. I''m so happy."


    He leaned down and pressed his lips against her softly, careful as to not wake her up with his rambling.


    But then, Xu Jiaqi started to moan out. Not in pleasure, but in pain. Like she was being harmed.


    "No.. No, please-" Xu Jiaqi hissed, speaking in a low volume as she turned around in her sleep.


    "Are you having a nightmare?" Xie Yongrui became worried. He listened to the mutters Xu Jiaqi was having, and it became his turn to frown. Xu Jiaqi was saying disturbing things.


    "No.. Don''t, what.. are you doing.. It wasn''t me..! Please.. no more.. DON''T!!" Tears streamed down her face as she thrashed about, covering her ears and crouching into a baby position.


    "Qiqi? Qiqi, stop!" Xie Yongrui raised his volume as the girl started to bite her lip with great power, to the point where he began to see blood seep out of it. "Qiqi!"


    It was dangerous. She harmed herself while she was unconscious. She was in deep sleep, seeing as to how she didn''t wake up even after he shouted at her. This time, it was the lip. But next time, if she bit further into, say, another part like the tongue, what would happen?


    "Qiqi, what dreams are you having? I''m right here, I''m by your side.. Please, don''t hurt yourself.." Xie Yongrui pried open her lips with his fingers and hugged her tightly. He didn''t notice it, but this emotional side of him drew divinity out of his soul because of the sheer worry and chaotic heart he possessed.


    The divinity that he emitted this time was unlike before, where it was just a thin mist that enveloped the two of them. This time, it shone a radiant light that was able to completely illuminate the room. The power was pushed out of his very soul, and after releasing it all, Xie Yongrui''s body collapsed and fell right beside Xu Jiaqi.


    The one who absorbed that same energy? Of course, Xu Jiaqi''s soul. Her troubles were calmed down by that light, and she was able to sleep better in an instant. No longer having the mumblings.


    Ding!


    [A second awakening..?! What?? How.. this damn kid! Ahh!] The System''s attention was abruptly brought up. He had been hiding in the space because his Host and her man was having fun that an innocent little System should not be intruding on.


    But while he was away, how come this guy suddenly awakened his divinity again?! First time was Zenith, and now even in this world, where magic wasn''t as prominent? It did exist, but summoning divinity would be as hard as counting sand particles.


    [No.. it''s not an awakening since he doesn''t know what he''s doing.. But my Host!!!!!!!] The System hurriedly ran a check up over Xu Jiaqi, who was now peaceful once again after being exposed to the powerful stream of energy.


    [She''s.. doomed.]


    [..Crap. Crap, crap, crap. They just made a new bond. What the hell.. What did I disappear for all that time for, then?! If this kind of bond is made.. Hell, even the Main System can''t fully barricade them.. Haa, the end is getting closer.] The System, watching from above, complained. He truly wanted to curse out Xie Yongrui, or rather, the soul occupying the man.


    [This son of a.. Just watch, damn it! I''ll save my Host no matter what! I won''t let her get hurt!] The System cried out, extremely pissed at the unfurling situation.


    [If I was granted the permission to tell Host about this, it would be better, right? She would understand the importance of being patient..] The System resorted to executing a backup plan. He filed a report to the Main System, and requested to have the authority to tell Xu Jiaqi about the general gist of what they had to face.


    This was his last hope if he wanted to make a safeguarding net for her.


    Meanwhile, Xu Jiaqi, who was pacified, and Xie Yongrui, who tired himself out after using divinity to that extent without knowing how to properly dish it out fell asleep, hugging each other for dear life.

 Chapter 160 - 3.56

    The two had a restful night, going back to sleep and not waking up until it turned to a completely new morning.


    This time, Xu Jiaqi was the one who woke up first. She rolled to the right, feeling like a heavy substance was on top of her. Sure enough, when she opened her eyes, Xie Yongrui was there, embracing her tightly with his thick arms.


    Right away, she had to face a massive headache, and her body hurt like hell. She cursed, wincing as she was rendered unable to move. She gave up on trying after some painful attempts, to which she finally decided to concede and wait for Xie Yongrui to open his eyes.


    Xie Yongrui sensed the movements Xu Jiaqi was making and finally woke up from his slumber.


    "Qiqi, how are you feeling..?" Just by looking at her expression, he was able to tell that the woman was obviously not in the best mood possible.


    Xie Yongrui felt some changes in himself, but he wasn''t sure exactly what was it. He knew that something happened last night. Not the passionate sex they had, but rather something that followed after that.


    What was it?


    He struggled to recall it. Every time he thought that he was close to recovering the memory, he would be struck with another migraine.


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyebrows twitched. Last night, she didn''t feel a shred of pain while she was actively doing it. But now that the adrenaline ran out and she had a clear mind to boot, she was showered with extensive pain and cramps.


    "Do I look like I''m okay?" Xu Jiaqi sighed. Even laying on her back against the soft bed caused a bit of pain to her. How was it this severe? She thought that with this adaptable body, she would not have that much pain.


    "..What can I do for you?"


    "Nothing, basically. It''s fine. It wasn''t your fault, I enjoyed every moment of it, but the aftermath is quite.. unsightly." Xu Jiaqi grimaced. Even if she just wanted to twist her body in the smallest angle ever, she would be hit with a dose of pain that she wanted to run away from.


    "Qiqi, don''t move.. I will take care of you until you get better. What do you want to do?"


    "Haah... Can you bring some hot towels? I want to wipe my body down, it just doesn''t feel right." Xu Jiaqi''s entire body was sticky, and she didn''t want to spend the rest of her day like this even if it meant having to bear some pain in order to get clean.


    "Qiqi, how about I take you to the bath tub directly? You proposed the idea of a hot tub from Xi.. So we did make it using our own technology. This would be your first time trying it, right? How about we settle for that? There''s also a platform for you to sit on as you enjoy."


    Xie Yongrui was very proud of his own initiative. The reports and date Xu Jiaqi would supply as part of her work was very admirable and innovative. One of the ideas that he was able to tell she had an interest for was this hot tub, who she said was the greatest invention ever. He rushed to make it and got a place in her quarters to be transformed just to honor her.


    "Hmm.. That might be a good idea. Be careful, though." Xu Jiaqi stuck her hand upwards, waiting for Xie Yongrui to lift her up.


    The sight was unbearably cute for someone like Xie Yongrui, who was whipped towards Xu Jiaqi, the love of his life. Xu Jiaqi stayed in the unknown as she proceeded to tilt her head in confusion as to why the man was being unresponsive and even covered his face up to hide the red flush on his face.


    "Excuse me, I need to cover your body up.." Xie Yongrui carefully took a quilt from the side and wrapped Xu Jiaqi around with the fabric.


    "Huh? You''ve seen every inch of me, what more do you need? Why are you being so shy and all?"


    He coughed to clear his throat, a bit abashed at the revelation.


    "It''s.. the bath tub is not in my quarters.. I placed it in yours. So in order to get there, we''ll have to take some necessary walks.. So that you won''t be hurt." Xie Yongrui confessed.


    "..I see." Xu Jiaqi coughed as well, turning her head to the side and letting Xie Yongrui do his own thing in taking care of her.


    He brought her to the bath tub after telling the people to clear off the area so that the two of them could have a great private interaction. Xie Yongrui helped Xu Jiaqi into the bath tub and all, caring for her extensively.


    The bath helped a lot. The hot temperature of the water made her muscles relax and instantly speed up the recovery speed from her strenuous exercise.


    Then, after the whole lot  of problem with getting her readied up for the day was done, Xie Yongrui carried her back to his room and sat her down on the bed, all clean and nice.


    "So, we should start talking about our plans from now on. It''s time to do work.. When I wasn''t here, what do you think is the biggest problem you''ve encountered?" Xu Jiaqi questioned, sitting on top of the soft bed while Xie Yongrui began to compile the documents and files for her to read and catch up with the current operations.


    Although she still knew a lot about Xian Ruo from the Xi''s perspective, she still wished to touch upon the statistics.


    "..I would say that it.. has to be the Empire''s eyes. They certainly got wary about us.. Well, it''s not an unwarranted feeling. They probably felt a huge pressure on how Xi and Xian Ruo was starting tohave deals with each other extensively... They might''ve thought that we are threatening them?"

 Chapter 161 - 3.57

    "They tried to insert some people into our ranks to dig deeper, and failed since we caught them before they were able to do anything." Xie Yongrui reported.


    "Should we wage a war?" Xu Jiaqi was the type to jump on the gun as soon as possible. To her, everything was a calculation. She just needed to put the right pieces together. Then, the plan would work out in one way or another.


    Xie Yongrui was silent. Nervousness was present in some parts of his expression, but he tried to cover it up as much as possible.


    "Of course.. not alone. We will borrow the hands of another kingdom. If it''s possible, then let''s just wrap up all the other kingdoms and attack the Empire at once. It''s not like that''s an impossible thing to do." Xu Jiaqi assured him, letting him know more about her thoughts.


    While she was stuck in the Land of Xi, not once did she slack off. As part of the prosperous Xi Kingdom, which was the world''s largest port of trading and merchants, she obviously got the chance to meet people from all corners of the world.


    She grew to learn about many things, and knew a lot of people that would be willing to assist her cause should this plan be executed for real. People who have been wronged by the Empire, those who dislike how they operated, and so on. There were many candidates that she could use to topple the very essence of the Empire.


    It was possible to use brute strength to break the core.


    "I guess.. I will have to come back to Xi after all. But this time, I''ll be bringing you with me, right? It should be a fun trip to have." Xu Jiaqi chuckled.


    "..To see He Yiyuan?" Although he knew that his standing in Xu Jiaqi''s heart was much higher than that man''s, he was still quite affected in terms of his emotions that still ran rampant from time to time.


    "Mhm. Don''t get the wrong idea, we''re just business partners. He Yiyuan doesn''t enter my eyes in that sort of way. But he will be our greatest ally should he help us.. And I''m pretty confident that he will join us. He has been aiming to do this kind of thing as well in the first place."


    The idea of having to meet He Yiyuan and rekindle a meeting with him again did not sit well with Xie Yongrui, but he knew to be the better person and not fret over this too much. He had to have confidence in Xu Jiaqi .


    "Are you sulking? That''s pretty cute of you." Xu Jiaqi laughed. Before she got closer to him, it could be said that she thought his character was that of a sly and closed off one.


    But now that she had a deeper and more personal relationship with him, he started to reveal his true colors, which was absolutely not the same as her predictions.


    Xie Yongrui refused to meet Xu Jiaqi''s eyes right away.


    "Now, now, don''t be like that. The faster we finish everything, the longer the time we''ll have to spend together happily. Don''t you wish for that to happen?"


    "Qiqi, you don''t want to be an Empress, right?"


    In truth, he was very scared. He didn''t have any solid foundation with this woman named Xu Jiaqi. Not once has she proclaimed that she loved him, not once has she bound herself to him in status. What was he supposed to hold onto?


    She went to the Land of Xi for five years. Even for someone like him, that was agonizing.


    "Well... Sort of. Are you bothered by that?" Xu Jiaqi was an expert on literally everything but romance.


    This was her first time having to properly think about her relationship and juggle in the factors of emotions and love with her life, so she was quite cautious and careful with her progression. She wanted to have proper communication with the man so that no misunderstandings would be caused, because she knew how bad that could go. She had seen so many loving couples fall apart just because they didn''t have a good communication, even though they suited each other well.


    She was hit with the influx of fear. Fear that now that she was starting to risk her own self to try and test the waters of a relationship, she would then be backstabbed and left behind. She didn''t want to face heartbreak, but a major part of her treasured this strange dynamic between her soul and whoever the real identity behind the occupants of all her men was.


    She knew that the man before her would probably choose to end his own life before risking hers, but the creeping fear was always there, looming behind her and trying to catch her off guard.


    "Qiqi.. I''m just a bit .. never mind." Xie Yongrui sighed. He shouldn''t be like this.


    "..If you are jealous, then say it to me straight. I don''t want us to have any sort of conflict." Xu Jiaqi strengthened her tone and spoke up.


    Both of them were not stable in this relationship. Both of them were weak in this field, and there were many things that could easily go wrong if this continued on.


    "..I am jealous, but I don''t think that I''m in the right at all.. It''s just my thoughts that are holding me down."


    "You shouldn''t be silent about those types of things. Xie Yongrui, this is a two mans game. You can''t just hide everything and pile it up inside your heart because you don''t want any confrontation with me. We''re not children, we''re adults. We''re more than capable of holding mature conversations and settling this matter."


    Xu Jiaqi hugged Xie Yongrui, caressing his back. She wasn''t ready yet.


    Not yet.


    "Qiqi.." Xie Yongrui sunk himself into the embrace and sighed.


    Xu Jiaqi pulled away, looking at him with clarity in her eyes as she swiped the corner of his mouth. Inching closer to him, she planted a deep kiss.


    Xu Jiaqi: Sorry, I still don''t love you.

 Chapter 162 - 3.58

    From that point, several things happened. Xie Yongrui became braver with his thoughts and wouldn''t hesitate to say what was on his mind concerning Xu Jiaqi and other matters as well.


    Their diplomatic relations with the Land of Xi was strengthened. This time, Xu Jiaqi didn''t need to stay there as a guarantor. Xian Ruo was able to contend with the Land of Xi in terms of respect, although they were still nowhere near the size of the powerful kingdom.


    Using the cumulative authority, they raked in people from the other kingdoms as well, successfully creating an alliance while still keeping everything under control and out of the Empire''s sights.


    They certainly got busier as time went, since the work that they had to accomplish increased with each day. Everything took time. Time flowed so fast for them. Every single day, they would feel like they didn''t have a lot of time.


    One day, there were sitting inside a room, working as always. Xie Yongrui found it hard to separate from her and loved to watch her do literally anything, so he indulged in this fact by staying  beside her.


    Then, as they were discussing important matters about their plans, an interruption came.


    There was a knock on the door. Several knocks, almost like banging.


    It was loud and out of rhythm, completely unlike the subordinates that they had trained.


    "..Enter." Xu Jiaqi frowned, not knowing that she was in for a surprise.


    "Lady Xu.. I think we have just found out who your real father is!" A man said with an exasperated tone after being allowed into Xu Jiaqi''s current room.


    Xu Jiaqi stopped whatever she was doing at the moment and put all of her focus on the intruding man. Xie Yongrui, who was accompanying her by the side also looked upwards, glaring at the man.


    "...Are you speaking the truth? If you''re spreading misinformation, then I won''t be as kind as to forgive you easily, you know?" Xu Jiaqi was visibly shaken by the news. Her gaze hardened.


    The news bringer was visibly terrified by the sheer aura that these two emitted, and immediately fell down to the ground. "Yes, I am sure that this is what you are looking for."


    The man then brought out a letter and placed it right in front of him, keeping his humble standing.


    Xu Jiaqi bit her lip lightly. "Bring that letter to me. I give you permission to get closer."


    The man did as such, and soon the letter was right in Xu Jiaqi''s hands. Xu Jiaqi opened it carefully, tearing apart the seal that bound the letter together and revealing the insides of it.


    Since this matter related to her mission, the System was rendered unable to help her much because he was barricaded by the laws. She used the maximum amount of effort to stretch her influence and conduct a search on that person, but even after five years had passed, she couldn''t find any leads.


    But now, a lead appeared?


    Xu Jiaqi opened the letter with a heavy heart, not knowing what to expect out of the content.


    The letter read as follows.


    -Xu Jiaqi, my daughter, I am your blood-related father.


    First of all, I would like to apologize for all the grievance that I must have caused you by not being a proper father. I am a coward, and I acknowledge this fact. I can''t possibly atone for all my sins towards you two unless I die. I''ve always feared facing the truth, but I have decided to finally confess everything, and what happened that time.


    I ran away because I had to protect myself. I only have one life, and when I was faced with the question on whether to pick love or my life.. I chose my life. To this day, I still regret it. The day I ran away.. It was an impulsive decision, but it made me realize that I wasn''t on a point where I could take care of another person''s life on top of mine just yet. I love Xu Yan, and I still love her until this day. I''m sure that if I have any one chance to meet you in the future, my baby daughter, I will love you just as much.


    But I am way too selfish, I don''t deserve to be alongside the two of you. Once again, I am deeply sorry for not being able to be a part of your life. I am deeply sorry that I couldn''t take responsibility for anything, and I know that it''s too late to fix everything. I have ran away. I don''t expect you to forgive me, but I reckon that this clarification was necessary for my own sanity. The guilt eats my heart day and night. Not a single day has passed where the thought of the family I left behind crossed.


    I am not meant to be a father, nor a lover.-


    That was the end of it.


    Xu Jiaqi subconsciously wanted to clench the paper inside her hands tightly until it crumpled up.


    "Tell me in detail. Who gave you this lead?" Xu Jiaqi gritted her teeth. How could there be someone like this in the world?


    "It''s.. your own mother, Miss Xu."


    "...Huh? My mother.. Xu Yan? She brought this paper here?" Xu Jiaqi thought that the one to deliver this would be someone who was hired by her father to stay anonymous, but that outrageous man actually dared to send it to Xu Yan?


    "Yes, Lady. Your mother.. she also wanted me to inform you that after reading this, the decision is entirely up in your hands.. And that she too doesn''t know why this message suddenly came around, and why it fell in her hands." The man told, slightly trembling at Xu Jiaqi''s increased anger.


    Xu Jiaqi narrowed her eyes as she digested the situation.


    ''System, verify the information.''


    [On it, Host! It''s completely true. Since it''s not done under my help, the System was able to process the data. It''s really from your father. I saw that your mission progress bars are starting to fill up.] The System acknowledged.


    ''So it''s really the clue we''ve been looking for? This shitty man....''

 Chapter 163 - 3.59

    The man who delivered the news soon left after being dismissed by Xu Jiaqi.


    "..Rui. You''re aware of my goal, right? I.. have to find my mother." The story can''t be finished just now.


    The fact that such a letter was directed to her probably meant that there was also another piece meant for Xu Yan. Why would a letter be addressed to her, but not the woman this man supposedly ''loved''?


    Seeing this case just furthered worsened the doubt Xu Jiaqi harbored for love.


    "Of course. Do you think she is still in Xian Ruo? I will immediately put restrictions on the travel services." Xie Yongrui was serious about the woman''s goals. Just from hearing her speak, he could feel how big the matter was.


    "...No need. In a week, I''ll be going to the Empire, remember? I can just visit her place when I''m there. The things I need the most.. she probably didn''t bring it here anyway."


    Xie Yongrui nodded, agreeing to the decision.


    Xu Jiaqi read the whole letter once again, confirming her doubts, sighing as she found the whole scenario stupid.


    _____


    A week passed. In addition to the time taken to reach the Empire, almost two weeks had passed. Xie Yongrui also tagged along with her since the business they were going to uphold was of high importance. Once they reached there, they immediately met up with He Yiyuan, who acted friendly to them.


    "Long time no see. How long has it been? How are you two doing?" He Yiyuan waved, his whole being radiating with a happy energy. Zheng Jianyu was beside him, nodding his head as a simple greeting to them.


    "A month or two, right? It wasn''t long at all. Where are the others?"


    The pressing matter they wanted to deal with required the combination of powers from all across the world. Directly going to the Empire was a bit risky, but it wasn''t like the Empire could eradicate their existences on a whim anyway.


    The delegates from the other two kingdoms would be coming as well.


    "It might take them a bit longer to arrive. The terrains on the pathway from their place to here isn''t as clear as ours."


    "Hmm.. Then, I will excuse myself first. I have things to take care of." Xu Jiaqi decided that this would be a good time to deviate from their path and go see Xu Yan for a bit.


    She just wanted to confirm some things and clear up the matter regarding her father''s identity.


    She quickly left the rest of the group and used her memory combined with the System''s navigation to reach her old districts. The place where she used to live, the gloomy slums, was located right beside the night districts. She could see the many faces that she didn''t recognize in the slightest. They were all devoid of life and just slumped against the wall without movement. There were some children who still moved about, but their conditions weren''t all that better.


    Xu Jiaqi sighed as she moved from the slums and entered the place where Xu Yan worked. They were pitiful, but she wasn''t exactly in a position where she could be generous enough to extend help. This place was not Xian Ruo, it was not under her jurisdiction in the slightest.


    She ignored them and signed up to for an appointment with Xu Yan, stressing her authority and using bribery in the middle of it in order to not be rejected.


    It took her some time to arrange the visit, but she was given permission in the end. She was led to Xu Yan''s working room. Standing in front of the door, Xu Jiaqi somehow was nervous for no reason. It was a natural reaction from her body.


    She entered the room, and her presence was announced by the attendant that brought her here.


    "Madam Xu, there is someone who wishes to meet up with you. I hope you don''t mind." The attendant spoke up, and then left Xu Jiaqi alone with her.


    "Who might you be?" Xu Yan was now in her forties, her customers had lessened, but she had gotten quite a bit of control over the service house as she was appointed to become the general manager after the previous owner left the world.


    Xu Yan was hit by a wave of melancholy, presumably the result of what the previous soul''s remnants were.


    The original soul''s sentiments were complicated. On one side, she hated Xu Yan for not being responsible after giving birth to her, for not giving her a normal and loving family. However, on the other side, she wanted to chase for her love. Wanted her mother to look at her with a gentle gaze, her attention focused solely on her. Just like any other child.


    It was impossible, she knew how Xu Yan was. She just couldn''t stop herself from digging the same pit and eventually falling into it, becoming increasingly filled with disappointment day by day.


    Xu Yan''s character at the beginning was not bad. If the mysterious father stuck to his words and took care of the pair of mother and daughter, then Xu Yan would''ve definitely not treated her own baby like this.


    "My apologies for not introducing myself first. I am the daughter you selfishly threw out of your life. You gave me the name ''Jiaqi''." Xu Jiaqi''s tone was cold as she said her name.


    "My daughter is long gone. I don''t know what you''re talking about." Xu Yan didn''t look at her in the eye and instead directed her gaze towards the documents.


    "Whether you like it or not, I am your daughter, the very proof of the sin you committed in trying to save yourself." Xu Jiaqi gritted her teeth as she got closer to the older woman. "Let''s see.. If you want to play it that way, then let''s just say I climbed up from my grave for you, dear mother."


    Xu Jiaqi stretched out her hand, pinching the tip of Xu Yan''s chin and tipped it upwards. Their eyes were forced to meet.


    She instantly slapped Xu Jiaqi''s hand away, looking towards the side. "I did tell you to do whatever you want with the letter''s contents, but I didn''t say you could visit me."


    ______


    System: Host is so cool~ Bad mother, go away!


    Xu Jiaqi: System, you''re my one and only mother from now on.


    System: Huh?

 Chapter 164 - 3.60

    "Is this your way of declaring your stance? You''re going to run away like always, not telling me anything? I truly admire your great character!"


    [Host, please hold yourself back. You look extremely.. murderous right now.]


    ''Yeah, right. This damn woman.. is the culprit of everything.'' Xu Jiaqi glared at her. She was the one who started the troubles.


    Xu Yan wanted to form a rebuttal, but held herself back after looking carefully at Xu Jiaqi''s face, who looked quite similar to both her and the man she once loved.


    She bit her lips hard, then tipped her head backwards. "..What do you want to know? I don''t have much to tell you."


    "First of all, would you be so kind as to tell me what the hell happened? How you two separated, and why was the letter.. almost like implying that it was written years ago?" Xu Jiaqi questioned.


    She noticed how old the letter was. How some of the ink had already started to fade or smudged. How the man indicated ''the future'', and portrayed the entire thing as having only been done recently.


    "..Ha! I can''t believe that out of all things, the first thing that you choose to ask me is that.." Xu Yan broke into a laughter.


    "..Would you please tell me? Or am I just wasting time by being here?"


    Xu Yan face grew sullen. None of the laughter that was executed seconds ago retained.


    "..Haa. Could you speak softer? The years are starting to get on me, my ears hurt when you speak that loudly.


    "..Although I have always told others that he betrayed and fooled me.. In truth, it was me who backed away from our promises towards the end."


    "He promised to marry me, and I promised to accept his love. He said that he fell in love with me, and I said I also did. The thing about his wealth wasn''t a lie, it was just that I was..." Xu Yan began clasping her hands and rubbed her thumbs against each other. A sickening force stirred inside her stomach. Making her nauseous.


    Every time she tried to discuss this matter, her psyche would always be attacked.


    "I was afraid. Ever since I was a little child, I was already involved with the service jobs, it wasn''t rare that men would come and take a fancy on me, and then leave after they lost interest. I didn''t know whether this man would be the same or not."


    "I felt.. dirty. It was a strange feeling, because before he came, I took pride in my job. By doing less than other people, I was able to earn more. However, it was only after I met him did I regret my line of work."


    "By getting together with him, not only me, but he would also be heavily impacted. He came from a well off family, had a great job that required a lot of connections and reputation, so having a wife like me would''ve stained his name black. He was pure, unlike me. The reason he came into the house was never for fun. He had been watching me. For a long time.. before he steeled his nerves and approached me through the traditional way, as a customer,"


    "I''m sure that the feeling he had for me was true. It was just my fears that held me back. In the end, I was impregnated by him. It was a mishap, but I chose to keep her life. Although.. I went on an outrage and deterred him from pursuing me as hard as I could. That was the best outcome for the two of us."


    "He was a promising young man, and I was a lowly service woman. Our world would never mix, just like oil and water. Even if it did mix, it would never achieve peace. That''s why, I made a fuss.    I used every single method to make him doubt me. I wanted to make him hate me and leave." Xu Yan tightened her fist, emphasizing on her last words. "I schemed against him. Made it impossible for him to reconcile back with me.


    "But in the end, he still loved me. He claimed that he was scared of facing the situation.. But it was me who orchestrated everything. I set him up for a crime. I made him run away.. I was the one who did everything, and yet he still sent this letter two years after you were born. He is a smart man, I assume he''s out there living life, managing to survive somehow even after my actions harmed him this much."


    She pursed her lips, and wrote three letters on top of a piece of paper.


    It read: Han Zhongli.


    "Han Zhongli. That was his real name. You must be of a high standing now, right? So please find out the rest by yourself, will you? His identity is rather special, but not one that would prevent you from discovering his existence. I''m sure that you won''t have too much trouble investigating his matters. I''ve told you my side of the story. The rest.. if you''re interested, meet up with him and ask him, not me." Xu Yan sighed a long breath and ended her storytelling time.


    She took out a cigar, lit it up, and started smoking while having her back turned towards Xu Jiaqi.


    It seemed like the conversation was over. Xu Yan wanted to one - sidedly end the discussion. Taking notice of her change in mood, Xu Jiaqi picked up the piece of paper and stored it inside her pouch.


    Her intention was to discover information for her mission anyway. Now that she obtained the clue, she no longer had any business with the woman.


    Before she left, she stopped in her tracks and looked at Xu Yan with a trace of caution.


    "...One last question."


    "I have a lot of things to do, so I would appreciate it if you don''t dawdle on for too long, hm?" Xu Yan''s interest was taken off Xu Jiaqi as she diverted her attention back to her eye - straining documents.


    "Have you ever regretted your decisions.. be it your career, your young love, and lastly... the pregnancy and your daughter?"

 Chapter 165 - 3.61

    "..." Xu Yan''s hands stopped in place.


    She raised her head, her line of sight passing by Xu Jiaqi''s. Her gaze was empty, as if Xu Jiaqi had just asked her a pointless question that she couldn''t even begin to bother answering.


    "Tell me, what use would there be if I even tried to regret what I did in the past? Is there a medicine for regret? I don''t think so, little lady. If so, why should I regret what I did?" Xu Yan looked at Xu Jiaqi as if she asked something extremely strange.


    Xu Jiaqi didn''t know how to handle this woman. It was one of the very few moments that she actually felt vulnerable. It was a battle of mentality and morality at this point.


    Xu Yan might have made decisions that hurt others in exchange for protecting herself. She had no intentions of denying what she did in the past. The only thing that she could do was accept the fact that she had plunged this far in life because of her stupid mistakes.


    Repenting was not a word that existed in her dictionary, because if Xu Yan was in her daughter''s position, she would never find it within herself to forgive the cruel actions. This was the reason why she didn''t bother to apologize or regret things. Because the damage had been done. If she crawled back into her daughter''s life, asking for forgiveness all of a sudden, it seemed so.. forced.


    Xu Yan hated being forced.


    Indeed, she is a bad person. Someone who didn''t deserve to be a mother. Someone who ran away from all her responsibilities.


    But who said that every single person in the world needed to be kind? Who dictated that? So many people preach their values. That they had to be kind to others. They praised Saint like attitudes. But behind the curtains, didn''t they all commit their own mistakes, their sins, and their misbehavior?


    Who said that this woman, named Xu Yan, had no right to be afraid? She feared for herself. And took actions for herself. It was selfish, but she had her own qualms that she couldn''t solve. It was largely motivated by rash emotions, but that was also what she managed to muster up to benefit herself.


    Truthfully, Xu Jiaqi also didn''t dare to say that she was a good person. Because she knew that she had committed crimes. In her eyes, nobody had an entirely good character. The same went for people who were categorized as ''evil'' or ''villains''.


    She ruined a lot of people, and she saved just as much if not more. Her actions bloomed into several other extra effects, which in turn could technically be traced back to her.


    [This woman.. really hateful. I don''t like her, wuwuwu!]


    ''Ssh. I can''t say that I agree with her, but I do attest to some of her claims.  Life is a complicated matter.. Dearest System, your own Host is also not a good person. Do you dare curse me out?''


    [What?! Of course not! Why would I curse you out, Host?!]


    ''See? You''re taking my side, even though I''m a hateful person to others. You are biased towards me because you know me. There''s so much variable to consider in someone''s life. That''s why calculating a perfect life is hard. I was so careful in my first life, and yet, I still died by their hands, right?''


    [But still..] The System learned a new point of view today.


    ''..Come to think of it, what made me desire a perfect life so much? Why was I chasing that ideal all the time?'' Xu Jiaqi questioned.


    Xu Jiaqi felt that her head hurt a little bit when she thought about that question''s answer.


    Still, if she had to say something, it was a mixture of self doubt and uncertainty towards the world that ended up clouding Xu Yan into making the decisions she made.


    Hence, Xu Jiaqi waited for Xu Yan to answer her question. She was interested as to what Xu Yan would utter.


    The older woman took a deep breath in.


    "Let''s see.. I, Xu Yan, have never regretted what I have become. My career is something that I can be proud of, that man was truly an exceptional one. I have accepted myself for who I am, and learned not to take others'' words to heart. If I could go back in time, everything would probably be different, but I still don''t regret where I stand in this lifetime."


    "If you ask me, I''d say that I regret not lining up for the Moonlight Pavillion''s new cosmetic line last month several times more than my important decisions," Xu Yan''s confident smile was dazzling as it sparkled on her face. "I''m getting older day by day, and taking care of my appearance is becoming more difficult."


    "As for my daughter, who is long gone... She grew to be someone splendid.. a respectable figure. I should be proud of her, why would I feel regret?" Xu Yan looked at Xu Jiaqi as if she was a stranger. Someone she coincidentally met.


    As if she wasn''t the daughter that she had thrown away years ago and came back, rising up exponentially from back when she was thrown into the slums, almost dying towards the end.


    Xu Jiaqi wanted to laugh. Xu Yan was an exceptional actress. Being able to alter her life like this for so long. Escaping reality.


    It must be nice, huh?


    Xu Jiaqi thought that it was pointless to talk with this woman any longer. She was too absorbed in her own fantasy. The denial she forged. There was absolutely no way of knocking some sense into this woman.


    It was way too late, and this woman would not listen to her even if she tried to preach to her a thousand times over and over again.


    Xu Jiaqi: I feel vexed. Humans are so complicated. Who made us like this?


    System: There, there. I''m a System, so I don''t really understand, but I know that Host is the coolest!

 Chapter 166 - 3.62

    Xu Jiaqi knew that it was time for her to give up.


    ''It''s time for us to leave. Thankfully, the original didn''t list her mother as part of the mission. If not, we would be doomed. It''s easier to search for this shadowy father figure, for God''s sake.''


    [Aww..]


    "..Is that so. Well, if I come across your daughter one day, I''ll make sure to tell her your words. Thank you for providing me with the information, I''ll compensate you generously," Xu Jiaqi brought out a golden token with her personal mark imprinted on it.


    This meant that Xu Jiaqi wasn''t planning on entirely breaking the mother and daughter relationship they were supposed to have.


    [Host! What are you doing? Why are you giving her the token?!] The System protested.


    ''It''s just a simple test. I want to see.. How far she can handle things to. She''s a smart person, despite all the wrongdoings she committed.''


    She saw Xu Yan eyes flutter, her eyelashes tremble, and her emotions fluctuating.


    ''That''s it.''


    Xu Jiaqi wanted to draw out some sort of reaction from the woman. It felt too heart-wrenching to end the drama without a resolution like this.


    If Xu Jiaqi didn''t mend just the slightest bit of threads in the relationship''s webs, then until the two of them die, they wouldn''t have any sort of closure.


    For someone like Xu Yan, there was no point on getting revenge on her.


    She was someone who hated herself more than anybody, but covered herself in lies in order to keep her sanity just slightly above the necessary level to continue living.


    This kind of person was someone who would accept the revenge schemes thrown at them with open arms. Xu Jiaqi would just waste her strength trying to vindicate her. She would even help Xu Yan''s case in harming herself.


    Xu Yan, on the other hand, fully knew that her and Xu Jiaqi would never have a proper and normal mother - daughter relationship. It did hurt her, especially when knowing that Xu Jiaqi was a product of her and Han Zhongli''s young love.


    ''Show me more. Let out all of your grievance.''


    Xu Jiaqi wanted to see the woman break down. Only then will she be able to leave with a satisfied heart. Only then will the past soul be compensated. Seeing this cruel mother break down. How much could she push her to make her succumb?


    She didn''t need to hear words of apologies and such. Just the slightest wave of emotions would be perfect.


    The facade that Xu Yan put up for years. The greatest revenge, so to say, would be to break that apart. Not putting her through intense torture or anything like that, but just touches that would make her weaken emotionally.


    Emotions were sometimes a much larger and effective threat than actual physical weapons.


    "I don''t need this. Do you think I look like a beggar, to the point where I need to accept tokens like this? Take it away, it''s displeasing." Xu Yan''s face wrinkled as she turned her head away, throwing the token towards Xu Jiaqi, who caught it with her fast reflexes.


    "Are you sure that you don''t want it? By holding this, you will be able to earn ten times the authority you''ve held in your life." Xu Jiaqi chuckled as she played around with the token.


    [Host, what can you say about this development?] System was a bit confused as to what Xu Jiaqi wanted to test, and couldn''t tell the point of doing this.


    ''System, do you know why the original body didn''t mention her mother in the slightest?''


    [Hmm? Is it not because she lost hope in her and doesn''t want to recognize Xu Yan as her birth mother anymore?] The System thought.


    ''But when I met her, my body instantly shook. Tell me, if this was the feelings of a child who didn''t hold any sort of sentiment towards her mother, would it be this way? I trembled just by meeting her gaze. In fact, right now, this body is on the verge of collapsing to the ground. The lasting effects of the previous soul was that strong.''


    [R-really, Host?!] The System didn''t pay close attention, and the Host seemed to hide it extremely well. [If that''s the case, then..!]


    ''Yes. The original soul probably wished to reconnect with her mother. As I''m speaking, tears are fighting to fall out of my eyes.''


    [Dear me..] The System finally gasped in understanding.


    "..No, I don''t want it. It''s not something I can use. It''s best to put it in your hands."


    "..Are you sure?"


    "Yes, I am completely sure."


    Xu Jiaqi sighed. It was impossible after all. She felt a bit apologetic to the original soul for not being able to bring justice to the case, for not wrapping things up perfectly.


    She prepared to leave, but before she could move a step further from her position, Xu Yan spoke up.


    "Lady, Since you asked me a few questions.. Won''t you answer a question of mine in return?" Xu Yan raised her voice. For the first time, Xu Jiaqi could feel some moments of hesitance inside her voice, but it was fleeting and temporary.


    "Go ahead. I have some time to spare." Xu Jiaqi was intrigued.


    Was there hope?


    "..Do you think I owe an apology to my daughter, if she was still alive?"


    For being an irresponsible person, for lying to my lover, and not being a good mother to the child I brought to the world? Those words were on the tip of her tongue, but Xu Yan couldn''t say it out loud.


    Xu Jiaqi stilled in her place. Her heart was shaking so badly that she almost couldn''t restrain it anymore. The original soul was very powerful, to be able to affect her this much.


    "Even if you apologized, if you didn''t believe that you were wrong, it doesn''t matter. In an apology, the sincerity and the meaning behind your words are the key. You''re nowhere near sincere, since you can''t even begin to accept your own daughter''s existence.. You can''t even face the most basic thing. Why apologize?"

 Chapter 167 - 2.63

    Xu Yan''s eyes flashed with a trace of sadness. With this, Xu Jiaqi felt like she achieved a different type of victory, something that she would only be able to obtain by making this woman recover just the smallest part of her humanity back from her everlasting facade.


    "And.. Didn''t everything turn out great in the end? That''s even more of a reason for you to not feel lingering regrets, just like you said. From now on, I''d advise you to leave behind the memories of the past. I shall do the same." Xu Jiaqi smiled brightly, so bright that it conveyed her meaning that ''nothing could ever bother me in any sort of way''.


    In other words, she couldn''t care less about this shitty dramatic plot anymore.


    "I also wanted to ask you for the letters that Han Zhongli might''ve written you, but seeing how far you are buried within your lies.. I think that those letters are long gone."


    Xu Jiaqi wasn''t just saying that out of spite, she actually told the System to scan the area and look for any potential clues containing that name. There was nothing. There was a pile of letters that got stored into this work room, but none of it was under his name. Seeing how unbothered Xu Yan was, she probably destroyed them to not shake her.


    Xu Jiaqi then turned around and left the room without leaving any chance for Xu Yan to stop her.


    The discussion ended abruptly, but it was enough for the two of them to find solace for themselves.


    After exiting the room, Xu Jiaqi hid in a secluded alley, drawing a deep breath in. She felt a huge wave of relief wash over her as she slumped down.


    ''That was.. so intense. Fuck, I need to rest for a bit. That drained me so much.'' Xu Jiaqi commented.


    [Are you okay, Host?! Is there anything I could do to help..?] The System immediately panicked, hovering over the Host to try and detect what was wrong with her.


    ''Probably not. This is a result of the original body reacting to her most powerful trigger.. Her mother. I''m not the one that''s truly hurt.. It''s just bothersome because I''m inhabiting her body as a vassal. It''s a sad fact, to be honest. She''s not able to let go of Xu Yan even though that woman had betrayed her so many times in her short life, to the point where I''m this affected.''


    What a pitiful child.


    Xu Jiaqi grumbled, crouching down to the ground as she felt that her feelings were extremely jumpy and uncontrollable at the moment. So vulnerable. It made her want to curse. How come there was a soul that was as hopeful as the original child?


    ''But.. that was a satisfying ending, wasn''t it? I think this is the best I could get the situation to.'' Xu Jiaqi covered her face with her hands, and sought praises from the System for the effort that she put in.


    [Uuu.. I don''t know, Host. I still think that Xu Yan deserves a harsher retribution.. She''s a bad person, but at the same time, she isn''t..]


    ''That''s the beauty of life, my dear System. Everything is so needlessly complicated, but that complexity is the very thing that makes us, us.'' Xu Jiaqi laughed at the System''s ramblings that was partly the result of her instilling her own ideology into him.


    [Humans are so badly designed! Us robots would never have such problems to worry over, we only have bugs and anomalies to watch out for. There''s no one to get us from the back because we''re all working  under one System.]


    The more the System accompanied Xu Jiaqi, the more he felt like everything she said made sense. Like a little chick following his mother to do everything.


    ''..You''re right. Maybe that''s part of the reason why I wanted to be the one to control the authority.. Because I wouldn''t have those problems if I can unite everything useful and eliminate traitorous fools.'' Xu Jiaqi had a revelation. To her, the System just said something that resonated deeply with her views, and reminded her of something much more important, yet so vague and far away from her mind.


    [So, what do you want to do now, Host?] The System was still mildly furious from the things that happened, but he prioritized the Host.


    ''Come on, let''s finish the mission once and for all. Look up every single piece of information about Han Zhongli. His family, his career, everything. If he could hide his presence this well, to the point that you were rendered useless for the slightest bit of data when you checked the brothel, then he must be quite.. good at his skills.''


    ''As for the first mission, to be exact, I could finish it right now just by announcing my presence to the whole world, but that wouldn''t be as fun, right..? I''ll have to wait a bit longer.'' Xu Jiaqi giggled.


    She was already such a dominant presence even as Xie Yongrui''s unlisted advisor. What would happen if she decided to make a name for herself as an individual agent?


    [Roger, Host! I will report to you soon!] The System was fired up because Xu Jiaqi mentioned the missions'' close ending.


    ''Ah, wait. One question. If this Han Zhongli is dead, then would it still count towards the mission?''


    [Yes, Host. After all, there''s nothing we could do. The System won''t hold it against you since it''s impossible to control that sort of external factor, unless Host is part of what caused the mission target''s death.]


    ''That''s good to know. Our main topic now is Han Zhongli. Run a search through the restricted documents if you have to, find out about him. Now go off.. I''ll reunite with Xie Yongrui. i''ll be fine by myself, so you should concentrate on getting the data for me.''


    [Okay!] The System cheerfully responded, flying away at a high speed and disappearing into who knows where.


    The System was so hardworking that Xu Jiaqi wanted to cry out of happiness seeing how dedicated he was. Without him, everything would''ve been so much harder.


    Xu Jiaqi: Mommy System is truly the best! A pro!


    She made her way back to where Xie Yongrui was standing side by side with the attendees from Xi.


    "Qiqi! You''re back. You.. look pale. Are you alright?" Xie Yongrui immediately tended to Xu Jiaqi, which made her heart be filled with warmth for a short amount of time. "Should we rest right now? I don''t want you to get hurt. Maybe the long travelling period took a toll on you.


    "Rui.. You of all people know that I''ve travelled for much longer than this.. I''m perfectly alright, dear. I just met my mother and got to settle some things with her.. As well as getting some clues about my father. I expected much more, but I ended up not obtaining a lot." Xu Jiaqi sighed.


    "... Do you not hold a grudge against her, Qiqi? If you can''t bear to remove her.. I will do it for you. I will make sure that she won''t ever feel any sort of happiness anymore. I promise you." Xie Yongrui pursed his lips, bringing the topic up carefully.


    Xu Yan was still Xu Jiaqi''s birth mother, so he was rather cautious as he spoke, afraid that Xu Jiaqi might rebuke him for his words. He just couldn''t stand seeing Xu Jiaqi so dejected just because of that woman who threw her away. Even though Xu Yan''s selfish actions were the very reason that they were able to meet in the first place.


    "I don''t want that. Selfishness is something natural. She was a young adult, and her job bound her too much at her prime. I don''t blame her, I would rather live on with my own life instead of keeping myself busy thinking about her." Xu Jiaqi shrugged.  "That''s the least I could do."


    However, even though she didn''t feel anything, due to her body''s natural reactions, she trembled whenever she talked about Xu Yan. This subtle tremble was sensed by Xie Yongrui, who immediately stepped forward and hugged Xu Jiaqi.


    "H-hey. What are you doing? This is.. in public daylight.. Everybody is going to look at us."


    This was the old times, where everybody was still rather conservative. It was slightly embarrassing, having to receive all types of stares for this public display of affection.


    There was even He Yiyuan and Han Zhengyu by the side.


    "Don''t care about them, Qiqi. Focus only on me.." Xie Yongrui''s heart hurt every time Xu Jiaqi looked pained, no matter how small it was. He had an innate sense telling him to always protect the woman no matter what it was that they were going to face.


    He was so deep into this massive whirlpool of emotions that it was sort of suffocating.


    "..Yes, yes. Maybe you are right, I am a bit.. tired. Let''s rush to our resting place, en?" Xu Jiaqi patted the man and made sure that he wouldn''t be worried anymore.


    Xie Yongrui''s eyes sparkled as he nodded, starting to make preparations and talking about the matter to the others.

 Chapter 168 - 2.64

    Xie Yongrui rushed Xu Jiaqi into the room they had previously booked prior to their arrival.


    Xu Jiaqi covered her face, embarrassed at how much Xie Yongrui was anxious about her condition. She felt like she was being paid a thousand people''s worth of attention, and it made her flustered even though she was supposed to be used to this kind of treatment.


    Xu Jiaqi: People do say that your perception will differ according to the person.


    With Xie Yongrui, she seemed a lot more genuine than normal.


    "Ao, what''s with all this? I told you that I''m fine.. I just need some rest. I don''t need all this~" Xu Jiaqi whined as she was being carried by Xie Yongrui and tended to the highest level possible.


    He brought fruits for her to eat, cold drinks to drink, a duvet to cover her with, and many other things that assisted her even though the pain Xu Jiaqi felt laid within her emotional control. It was sort of laughable.


    "You never know. Besides, my darling deserves to be treated with the best of the best, this kind of thing is nothing out of the ordinary." Xie Yongrui smiled. Combined with his peerless handsome looks, it was definitely a sight that would steal a lot of ladies'' hearts.


    "..You''re having fun with this, aren''t you?" Xu Jiaqi grumbled as she had a piece of tangerine be fed to her.


    "Of course I am! Tending to my beloved, why wouldn''t I have fun?" Xie Yongrui grinned widely, not having a speck of shame at all.


    "Ha! It hasn''t been a while since I recognized you and you''re already this confident.. Tell me, is the meek, pitiful appearance you once showed me all a ploy, a device meant to set me up?" Crossing her hands, Xu Jiaqi turned her head away, a red flush starting to creep up into her face.


    "I set you up for a lifetime subscription of a loving husband. Shouldn''t you be happy?"


    Xie Yongrui''s warm voice made everything much more displeasing, as Xu Jiaqi found herself in a predicament as she was actually liking the development. Being treated so tenderly like this, she didn''t know how to respond to it.


    Even with Zenith, the man always had a rather closed off attitude until the end. He cared for her in an alternate way. Always being there, watching closely over her.


    Whereas Xie Yongrui was much more prudent, and he liked to express himself more vibrantly using his actions.


    Such fond memories.


    "..Gee, I wonder." Xu Jiaqi playfully rolled her eyes as she delved inside the thick blanket and hid herself away, no longer wanting to face the frivolous man.


    "Aww~ Is our lovely Qiqi feeling shy~?" Xie Yongrui was in a roll, as he continued to tease Xu Jiaqi. However, after considering that she really was tired, he stopped his actions and cleaned up all of the amenities that he had brought out for her.


    Xu Jiaqi had to admit it, this kind of treatment made her mood rise and feel better about everything that happened. She closed her eyes, aiming to get some quality sleep so that her mind could be reset and returned to normal.


    Xie Yongrui saw that she fell unconscious and smiled gently, brushing her hair away from ehr face so it wouldn''t stick to her face. "Sleep well, Qiqi." He kissed her on the cheek once and left the room to take care of other matters.


    When she woke up, it was already night time, and the rest of her travelling group was downstairs in the resting area having dinner together. Xu Jiaqi rose up from her bed and checked her state. She was relatively okay, although thoughts about Xu Yan still lingered from time to time.


    Xie Yongrui was nowhere to be seen. She noticed that the System had left new pieces of information, which surprised her because he was only gone for a few hours. She noticed that the System might already be done with his job, so she called him out to check on his condition for the time being.


    He popped out, making a notification sound as he greeted his Host.


    ''System~ think I might''ve provoked a thorny rose. I was too confident when I provoked the situation, I ended up stabbing myself and getting hurt.'' Xu Jiaqi sighed. Perhaps she shouldn''t have approached Xu Yan more than needed that time.


    Pushing herself beyond the necessary levels just because she wanted to get some sort of leverage on the scenes. It was a rash move indeed, but she just couldn''t help but do it.


    [System thinks that Host did her best. Don''t worry, Host. After we pass through this world, I will be able to upgrade even further. If we are lucky with the assessment, then maybe I could have a controller type benefit!]


    ''Controller type benefit?'' Xu Jiaqi asked in curiosity.


    [Yes, Host. As the name suggests, it''s a benefit that will help us ''control''.. Depending on the subject and the level of the benefit, we might even be able to alter reality and the world''s foundations! But for us, that kind of thing is still far away. However, if we get an emotion controller, I will be able to help you reduce the impact you receive in situations like this.]


    ''That''s super convenient! We must do our best to get them. Since you are back here.. While I was asleep, did you perhaps finish collecting information? That was super fast...''


    Xu Jiaqi stored the brilliant proposal the System gave, and made sure to fervently wish for a reward like that to appear.


    [Ah, yes! I tracked down who Han Zhongli is. Part of the reason why I was so fast.. Is because Han Zhongli is a rather famous figure. It was easy, and yet difficult. Once I finally tracked his personal acquaintances.. It became easy.]


    ''..Famous? I have never heard about his name though.. Did I skip over some information? Me?''


    [No, Host. The reason you aren''t aware.. Is probably because Han Zhongli isn''t a prominent figure in the regions you asked me to gather information about. That''s why his name wasn''t included in the data you memorized.]


    ''Wait.. By the way you''re saying that.. It can''t be, this body'' birth father is from the late Empire?''


    [Host is quick to catch on! Yes, Han Zhongli was a member of a powerful merchant family back when it was still the previous dynasty. Though.. there is something strange about him. Particularly regarding the timeline.. And how it coincides with the timing of him leaving your mother for good.]


    ''..Interesting, I want to hear more. Come have a little chat with me, we shall look at the clues properly.''


    Xu Jiaqi''s ears perked up as she prepared for the System to present his findings to her.


    [Roger, Host!] The System responded enthusiastically and prepared all of the data he accumulated, readily gearing up for a thorough report.


    [Although the things I''ve dug up is mainly the basic ones, it was still hard to get them. It''s almost as if someone is purposely hiding them. The first thing I looked up was his family. The Hans are one of the ''background'' supporters of the previous Empire, so to say. We all know that.. the previous Empire was much richer than it is now. One of the reasons that it could be that way, even though the Emperor was not the best person ever, was because of this family.]


    The System displayed a diagram, showing the family tree of the Han family. [This is your father. The second son of the Hans. Han Zhongyuan, the head at that time, was actually not affiliated with the government whatsoever, but he had close ties with the Emperor, being accomplices with him. In exchange for economical support, the Hans would be granted with special permissions to act around their operations. All of this is a grey area... With unholy transactions being mixed in here and there.]


    [In particular, Han Zhongli was quite the neglected child. He still had access to parts of the riches, so he lived his life quite lavishly. One of his jobs.. was being an attendant in the princes'' palace.]


    ''...Go on.'' Xu Jiaqi''s expression grew more serious as her quick mind started to theorize on what this insinuated. There was a sneaking suspicion inside her head, but she hoped that it wouldn''t be the case.


    [*Cough*.. Host, Xie Yongrui was basically trained, taught, and raised by your birth father. It''s a grueling twist of fate, but when he was out on his day off, he was dragged over by his acquaintance to the night district where your mother was. This was when he fell in love on first sight with her.. And when things started to crumble down, peaking at around your birth''s timing.]


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyes narrowed.


    As expected.


    The reason her father left, leaving such a distasteful, unfinished letter out in the open... Was much deeper.

 Chapter 169 - 3.65

    In the end, after more than fifteen minutes were spent on briefing the case and enlightening them on the matter, Xu Jiaqi ended up having her palm on her face. This story was just as dubious as a soap opera''s cliche tropes.


    Han Zhongli was your so-called typical unloved son. His parents focused solely on his elder brother, who was the heir of the family. He was much more capable than him, and it was a matter of course that his existence soon became forgotten by the masses to the point that when you came around and asked the masses about his existence, nine out of ten would say that they don''t recognize such a person. Even though he was supposed to come out of a well off family.


    It was likely that this guy got embroiled in the tragedy of the imperial palace. Since the System ended his report at a vague statement, it meant that even him couldn''t find out where this man was right now. Coupled with the fact that his information seemed to have been erased..


    This case was hard to work with!


    ''So, can I still meet this person? Or is he dead?'' Xu Jiaqi questioned. This was the most important query of all, because it concerned the resolution of her mission. It was very troubling.


    [Answering Host.. It''s likely that he actually traded his life for the life of another. I''m not too sure, but I think there is a high chance that he died along with the tragedy that struck the Empire when the times changed.] The System reported, feeling a bit saddened over the matter.


    [Also.. This might just be a vague assumption, but please take a look at this timeline I made for you, Host.] The System launched up its mechanisms, and soon, there was a sparkling timeline that appeared in front of her eyes.


    Xu Jiaqi carefully looked over all the information and quickly found out what the System was trying to insinuate by bringing out this topic.


    ''...Hm. The part where he sent this letter should be after I was born.. Is a little bit sketchy.''


    [Host, don''t you think that something is strange? Please think of it like this. You''re a baby who was thrown into an evil caretaker who used up all of the assets meant for you for another purpose.. But if you consider that heinous person''s attitude, who threw you into the streets, would you even have survived long enough to be able to last a day on the streets?] The System wanted to fight for his case, and so he did.


    ''Ah, you''re talking in circles. I get what you mean, but it''s still a bit.. farfetched for now.''


    The System''s meaning was that Xu Yan originally did not throw out Xu Jiaqi right after she was born. This was likely just an assumption from Xu Jiaqi, because as far as she could remember, she lived a hard life. Perhaps, the original soul thought that Xu Yan intended to do this from the start, when that wasn''t the case at all. She just couldn''t remember the earlier years of her life. When she was a baby with no awareness whatsoever.


    In her memories, it was that Xu Yan didn''t want her from the start since she felt betrayed by Han Zhongli. If that was the case, then how was he able to send her a letter that seemed so loving? The timeline from when Xu Jiaqi was born to the world, from what she could see,  it seemed like Han Zhongli was still visiting around that. How could Xu Yan detest her right from the start?


    If Xu Yan truly did not want her, then there was no other path for her other than having to die, in the environment she was put in. Also, she never left the brothel. If Han Zhongli ended up sending that letter, it meant that he still had some feeling towards her.


    If.. If there was a reason for his disappearance? The reason he ran away from his love even though he could''ve chased and assured her? Could that be a possibility to consider?


    [Host, it''s good to have a vast imagination. As long as we piece out the story correctly, if Han Zhongli is truly dead, then we wouldn''t have to chase after him anymore.]


    ''But there''s no concrete evidence that he''s dead. How are we going to get the Main System to recognize our theories and check our mission? These are all just assumptions. Mere assumptions.''


    [Simple, Host. We trick the System manually. If we just land on the correct story, then we can solve the case...! Probably...]


    Dear readers, what you are seeing is called ''desperation'' when someone is too stuck, so stuck to the point that they are in denial and wants to stay as optimistic as they can even though the case was helpless.


    Xu Jiaqi: ..Aren''t you also a System? Do you want to be tricked, mommy?


    System: Someone come take this unfilial daughter away, I don''t want her!


    Xu Jiaqi: Hehe.


    ''..That could work, but how many tries do we have to go through before we even get to the final outcome? If we have bad luck, aren''t we talking years of blind guessing? You''re just saying this because you got stuck while gathering the information, is it? There has to be some type of way we can work around this.'' Xu Jiaqi shook her head, dismissing the System''s words temporarily.


    There had to be another way that they could take. One with more credibility to its name.


    The System was visibly saddened, because what Xu Jiaqi said was correct. He had tried his hardest to uncover more materials, but he couldn''t find anything that could further assist them in this case. It broke his heart and tore it apart into several pieces.


    She didn''t blame the System because there was a limit into how much one''s capability was, especially when the System was already this hardworking and lovable. She was extremely thankful, even.


    As she consoled the desperate System, Xu Jiaqi racked up her brains to think of a solution.


    Within minutes of brainstorming, she landed on one idea!


    ''...Wait.'' Xu Jiaqi replayed the System''s words, and took a look at the information in front of her with great detail. ''System, come take a look. You said that he was the attendant for the princes.. would Xie Yongrui still remember him? Or at least.. remember what happened to him in the end. As an attendant, I reckon Han Zhongli had to be around him a lot.''


    There was a very high chance that he was long dead, but for proof and testimonies, it would be perfect if they could rely on this late Imperial Prince''s assistance.


    [Ohh?! Host, you have such a brilliant idea! I overlooked this because I thought that Xie Yongrui would be too young.. But if we''re lucky.. then Han Zhongli might''ve stayed with your man until the end!] The System enthusiastically spoke.


    ''Mhm, that''s what I thought. You don''t have to raise your voice that high, though. My head hurts.''


    [M-my apologies, Host...] The System tearfully spoke. He got too excited.


    ''Anyway, since we''ve settled on that for the time being.. I''m going to have you make a report on all the clues that might help us trigger Xie Yongrui''s memory. He was a child at that time after all.. We don''t know how far back he remembers, especially if it''s a traumatic event for him. His mind might''ve made him forget about it.'' Xu Jiaqi was anxious and uncertain, but she wanted to bet on this chance.


    She waited for the man to come back, not in the mood to come downstairs and seek him out. She stayed beside the System and looked over the project they held, making sure that everything was well organized and could support their probable claims.


    Xu Jiaqi sighed. At first, she thought that this mission would be relatively easy. It was just looking for one man. One man who frequently visited one specific place, where one person would always be there waiting for him. That one person was even her mother.


    Who would''ve thought that it was going to give her this much problems? She was exasperated as she shook her head.


    Right after, the door was opened, revealing the familiar figure of a certain Xie Yongrui, whose eyes immediately lit up after seeing Xu Jiaqi all awake.


    "Qiqi! How are you feeling now? Do you still need something? I will go get it for you right now."


    "No.. I don''t need anything, but can we have a long talk?" Xu Jiaqi asked tenderly.


    Xie Yongrui was scared beyond belief. By the way Xu Jiaqi was phrasing it, it made him think that this serious matter she was going to talk about.. concerned the two of them. For example, their ambiguous relationship. They spoke up about how they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but what if Xu Jiaqi suddenly changed her mind? Would he even be able to let her go if that kind of thing happened?


    Xie Yongrui pursed his lips and braced for whatever Xu Jiaqi was about to say. He sat beside the tired woman, who extended her hands upwards to poke Xie Yongrui''s abdomen.


    "Qiqi, hurry and tell me, what did you want to say so badly, hm?" Xie Yongrui tried his hardest to restrain his emotions, so that the unease and worry he had wouldn''t be detected by the woman in front of him.

 Chapter 170 - 3.66

    Xu Jiaqi was laying down on top of the bed, her eyes droopy. It was as if she was a cat lazily resting about, looking towards Xie Yongrui with little to no interest. It made the man so anxious that he felt like he could throw up any moment now.


    The deathly silence, and the way Xu Jiaqi composed herself all added up to break him down from the inside. Of course, Xu Jiaqi was unaware of all t his because her mind was merely not focused on the man. She was chatting with the System on how she should break into the matter, so it appeared as if Xu Jiaqi was heavily disinterested in Xie Yongrui when that was not the case at all.


    ''Hey, System. Do you think the mood is right? I think I can act perfectly now, I''ve got all the emotions down..'' Xu Jiaqi asked as they both finally concluded their discussion as Xie Yongrui''s pitiful gaze still shone upon her.


    "..Hm. Rui, I have a question for you." Xu Jiaqi spoke up.


    "..Hik." A small whimper came out of Xie Yongrui.


    Xie Yongrui shed tears. He didn''t know why, it just started flowing down. It was at this moment that Xu Jiaqi finally snapped out of her mind, and her brain cells all came online at the same time. Even so, she still couldn''t figure out why this man, who was usually so imposing in front of his man was crying right in front of her as if the world wronged him in a thousand ways.


    Xu Jiaqi: ...? Did somebody steal his balloons on the way here?


    "Go.. go on. Ask me.. what did you want to ask?" Xie Yongrui wanted to face whatever was in it for him bravely. He had repeated inside his heart. If Xu Jiaqi wanted to break up, if she didn''t want him anymore, then he must let her go.


    He wanted to see her happy, and he always said that he would help make her happy. If tying her down to him made her unhappy, then he should let go no matter what, and not let her be wronged staying by his side.


    He tried to convince himself that that was the case, but it didn''t work out. A waterfall of emotions washed over him, exposing the tender regions of his heart out.


    "..Rui, did I do something wrong?" Xu Jiaqi questioned.


    It was too sudden.


    "T-that''s what I want to ask you. Qiqi, tell me if I did something wrong, don''t just stay silent like that. It scares me.. you won''t throw me away, right? We made a promise.. We''re going to stay together.. Qiqi, I''ll fix it for you. You just need to tell me where I made a mistake." Xie Yongrui tried his hardest to be calm, but he was beyond nervous.


    His voice shook and rattled with every single word he spoke, and he couldn''t help but cry into Xu Jiaqi''s shoulder.


    Xu Jiaqi was still confused, but she comforted the man first above anything. "Rui, I think you have a misunderstanding. I just dozed off.. Because I was thinking about a strange thing."


    Xie Yongrui was practically blocking off all of his senses, desperately holding onto Xu Jiaqi. Xu Jiaqi was baffled as she didn''t think that the man would have this severe of a reaction. She couldn''t even begin to comprehend what caused it, let alone solve the core of the problem.


    "Rui.. listen to me. You''re not paying attention to what I''m saying. Can''t you hear me out?" Xu Jiaqi patiently asked, coaxing him. A small tinge of pain bulged in her heart as she saw Xie Yongrui lightly sob.


    "Qiqi, I can''t live without you, I really can''t.."


    "Then, live with me! What are you crying for? Do you doubt my sincerity?" Xu Jiaqi frowned.


    "...No, I would never doubt you." Xie Yongrui looked up to the younger woman and continued sobbing, albeit his tears slowly stopping.


    "Look at me in the eye, and tell me, who bullied you? Who spread lies to you, saying that I will leave you and such? And why are you so affected by it?" Xu Jiaqi was a straightforward person. She didn''t want any misunderstandings to occur.


    All the problems must be solved right then and there.


    "I''m just.. I also don''t know what happened to me. I just imagined the thought of you leaving me for a slight second, and my.. my vision turned to black, like I was thrown into some sort of abyss. Then.. before I knew it, I was crying before you..."


    Xie Yongrui was also confused. After he regained his calm, he found his crying self so immensely stupid.


    Xu Jiaqi laid down the situation. Xie Yongrui drunk a bit as he ate, but she knew that he had a high alcohol tolerance. However, he still drank some. This might have contributed in one way or another to his current state, but Xu Jiaqi still found it weird that he had such a big emotional spurt.


    Suddenly so explosive, and suddenly so calm.


    She noted this discovery in her head. According to her observations, Xie Yongrui should not be someone who would act like this, so what was this all about.


    Of course, within the three of them, only the System knew what was happening as of now.


    [That crazy bastard.. Latching to my Host like that! Grr!] The System couldn''t vent to anybody, especially his Host. He concealed himself as he cursed Xie Yongrui, who was starting to show his lunatic tendencies.


    "Rui, did you know? My father.. Might have met you in the past." Xu Jiaqi sighed as she finally began to release her true intentions in bringing up this conversation.


    Xu Jiaqi told everything she knew, making sure to leave out some details on purpose in order to not draw suspicion to herself. If she knew too much, Xie Yongrui would definitely catch on and question why she knew all those information when it was supposed to happen before she even grew up to be a child.


    Xie Yongrui coughed, finally realizing what Xu Jiaqi wanted to tell him. He regained his full composure at thought for a few moments seriously.


    "So.. Han Zhongli... Hm, I do recall that name. Although.."


    Xu Jiaqi: Please, please, just say that he''s dead! Say it with certainty! Then, everything will be alright, this mission would be checked off for good!


    "Although?"


    "Qiqi, I''m sorry.. That day, when I fled, I saw uncle Han be stabbed by an incoming soldier. I remember he told me that I must survive.. And then, I never saw him again. The injury he had to suffer was so severe. Added to the fact that the enemies were right in front of him, I don''t think that he''s still alive today."


    Although Xie Yongrui felt uncomfortable telling Xu Jiaqi the news of her father''s death like this, he wanted to be frank with her so that she could get some sort of closure.


    ''System, how is it?'' Xu Jiaqi asked, feeling very hopeful.


    [Wait, Host. It''s still verifying. I believe it, Host! This is the way! Hail lord Xie!] The System exclaimed as he worked his magic on the process and started to run his tests on the case.


    ''Okay, you go do your own thing.''


    "..I see. Well, I just wanted to discover who he was. Now that I ''ve learned of his identity, I don''t think that it would be weighing on my mind any further.. Thank God you''re here, Rui. You confirmed it, I''m satisfied with just that." Xu Jiaqi smiled.


    Xie Yongrui let out a huge sigh of relief as the matter was finally resolved and Xu Jiaqi didn''t hold anything against him. It was a bit strange to know that your birth father sacrificed himself for your current lover, but it wasn''t like Han Zhongli had ever done anything special in particular for Xu Jiaqi.


    Xu Jiaqi also didn''t hold any sort of specials sentiments, only curiosity.


    "Did I scare you?" Xu Jiaqi giggled, remembering how shocked Xie Yongrui had been at the beginning.


    "You did.. You scared me so badly. I thought that you had gotten tired of me."


    "How can that be? I''m not that easy of a person, I wouldn''t just throw someone out.. especially when it''s you, who I''ve gotten deeply interested in."


    Xu Jiaqi wasn''t lying, she was truly interested in the matters of this strange soul binding event. Xie Yongrui was a part of it. Not to mention, he was handsome, capable, had a good personality, and was good in bed.


    Xu Jiaqi gave out a devilish smirk as she slithered her limbs around the man, feeling cheeky and adventurous. "Say, Rui, how about we deepen our.. connections together?"


    "..an''t."


    "Hm? What did you say?"


    "We can''t! Qiqi, you''re still exhausted. If we do it right now, it''ll burden your body. Besides.. this isn''t the best place.." Xie Yongrui was rather embarrassed as well.

 Chapter 171 - 3.67

    "Ao, I can see that you''re trying to fight  back your desire. Can''t you just let loose for once?"


    "I.. don''t want to hurt you." Seeing Xu Jiaqi hurting, especially if it''s caused by him, was the subject of his worst nightmares.


    "Don''t worry about that." Xu Jiaqi chuckled lowly. "Rui, do I have to spell it out for you?"


    After some trials and errors with men like Qin Zicheng, Zenith, and now Xie Yongrui, Xu Jiaqi was finally able to adjust to their personalities. She learned that these men were all actually wolves waiting to devour her, but they just kept holding back because their love towards her surpassed all of their other worldly desires.


    Naturally, as a good lady, she should begin to tease and provoke them even more in each world~


    Xu Jiaqi tickled Xie Yongrui''s neck area, getting closer and placing some fluttery kisses on him to further their advances.


    "..No." Xie Yongrui answered, giving in to the overwhelming situation and willingly kissing Xu Jiaqi. His momentum was so high that Xu Jiaqi felt like he wanted to engulf her entire body and become one with her with his every movement. So vigorous and lively.


    Today''s affairs- the setting was a bit bizarre, because they had just been talking about her father''s death before suddenly jumping into this kind of thing. However, the woman had a look in her eyes that made it impossible for him to back out, provoked him to the highest degree to which he ended up succumbing to.


    Heavy breaths and muffled moans took over the room as not a single word was spoken. Their bodies were let loose, moving to the rhythm of their own desires and not giving a single damn on what was going on with the rest of the world.


    They intertwined with each other, entangling themselves in messy positions. Sweat continued to pour out and glisten their bodies as they played around through the night.


    The curtains were drawn, and the next thing they knew, they were well rested and woke up to each other''s faces. A cold breeze of air attacked them, as they were completely unclothed from top to bottom.


    "Good morning, Rui. Did you have a good sleep?" Xu Jiaqi was not at all embarrassed, as she pulled Xie Yongrui in for a lovely cuddle right off the bat, not giving Xie Yongrui a chance to breathe.


    Xu Jiaqi''s alluring beauty made Xie Yongrui swallow, turning his head away in case something dangerous was provoked one more time. He took in a sharp gasp of air, but it seems like his skills weren''t as proficient in controlling his little brother.


    A tent rose from his tense body, the tip of the aroused member poking against Xu Jiaqi''s supple thighs.


    "..Oh? This is interesting.. Rui, I didn''t think that you were this sensitive." Xu Jiaqi laughed as she took off the covers that hid their bodies. A dazzling sight was exposed before her eyes, as Xie Yongrui''s length was now charged with full vitality, raging to prove its greatness.


    "Shall I help you?" Xu Jiaqi giggled, lingering her touches around his nether region.


    That was it. The push that threw all of his safety measures away. Xu Jiaqi just always knew which buttons she had to push to make Xie Yongrui''s mind go crazy, and this time was not an exception.


    His final straw broke, and he leaned back into their bed, letting Xu Jiaqi administer her skills towards his hard member.


    "..Please take care of me." Xie Yongrui relented.


    Xu Jiaqi did her magic, and the two came out of the room looking very pleased after a long session of questionable deeds followed by a thorough cleanup.


    Thank goodness they rented quite the expensive place, so they knew that the room was going to be properly cleaned up. Even so, they made sure that the place didn''t have any traces of the late night exercises and the sheets were all rinsed.


    Mornings were usually not his best time of the day, but thanks to this memorable experience brought by yours truly, he felt like he would be looking forward to every single morning he spent with her.


    There was no helping it. With every single extra glance he directed towards Xu Jiaqi, he could feel himself falling even deeper into the hell hole that is the unrequited love that Xu Jiaqi had warned him from the beginning.


    As they stepped out of the door, they went downstairs only to find He Yiyuan, who had a judging gaze directed towards them.


    Immediately, Xu Jiaqi connected the pieces as she remembered that a certain King of Xi''s room was right beside their own, and that the walls in these times were not the best in terms of soundproofing qualities.


    ''System, what are the chances that He Yiyuan heard e~verything from start to finish?''


    [100%. You two were too brazen that you didn''t even notice that I came out for a few seconds to check if you two were over, only to get my eyes tarnished..!]


    ''..Oh.''


    Xu Jiaqi indeed wasn''t able to notice the System''s presence in the slightest as they did it.


    Her attention was placed back to He Yiyuan as the two of them got closer to the man leaning against the door frame.


    "Hey, it''s not like I wanted to eavesdrop or anything, but I wanted to tell you some information about our departure.. And accidentally overheard some interesting noises from you guys'' room. I''m happy for you, but next time, could you please keep it down?" He Yiyuan decided to tease the pair as he walked away with a big smile without leaving the couple any room at explaining their situation.


    The two who were left behind looked at each other. Xu Jiaqi already expected this kind of response, so she wasn''t affected. She was fully aware of what she could get into when she decided to entice him in a semi-public place like this, so she didn''t even freak out.


    "...Yeah, maybe that was a bad move after all." Xie Yongrui said, looking dejected and covering his face with his palm while sighing.


    "Ao? Don''t you think it''s somewhat thrilling?" Xu Jiaqi smirked, her itchy hand playfully grabbing Xie Yongrui''s butt cheek and squeezing it tight, giving the man a run for his life as he freaked out and jumped away from her grip.


    "No!" Xie Yongrui objected, no longer daring to stand beside Xu Jiaqi in fear of what she could do.


    System: Hey, old lady, you''re under arrest for too much harassment!


    Xu Jiaqi: He''s too cute, I can''t help but keep teasing him~


    System: Kindly stop before I resign from my System position.


    Clearly, Xu Jiaqi discovered a new side to herself that not even her could describe. One that takes pleasure in executing sadistic tendencies.


    _____


    The play time had to end, just like everything else that would eventually cease to exist.


    The next thing that they had to do was actually getting to work.


    They had many things that they needed to accomplish, and yet time was constantly chasing them. The longer they waited, the Empire would get to stabilize themselves and control their affairs.


    Thus, they made a temporary alliance between all of the kingdoms, including Xian Ruo, in order to take over the Empire''s rule and make it their own.


    Doing this required the cooperation of talented individuals from each kingdom, which had now assembled in a single room. The atmosphere was serious and tense. They proceeded to discuss their plans from now on, with each individual giving their own takes and proposals.


    This was a plan with high risk, but an extremely high return. Their solace could be found in the fact that there was a clear agreement within all individuals present today, and many others sitting back in their country. That the current Empire was not the best thing, nor was it suitable to be called the one and only Empire anymore.


    This prompted them to have a smooth and unrestrained discussion when talking about their plans to bring down the Empire.


    "So, I assume that everyone gathered here today is already roughly aware of what we are going to do from now on, respectively." Xu Jiaqi spoke, mid way in the conversation. "I expect you all to continue forth with the decisions that we have come to today."


    Xu Jiaqi was very professional as she glanced over all of the members'' behavior, trying to pick out any sort of discrepancy.


    Although they didn''t manage to reel in the actual royalties of each kingdom for fear that they wouldn''t completely cooperate with their ideas, Xian Ruo and the Land of Xi''s official rulers coming together was the perfect advertisement to pull in bigshots from the other kingdoms.


    Those who were here right now were masters at their own fields, ones that could shake the world''s balance if they truly wished for it to happen.


    The players were all set. Their goal was clear.. Their vision was straight, and they only had to march forward like this.

 Chapter 172 - 3.68 [M]

    "I agree with everything that we have decided upon today, I don''t have any discomfort in proceeding with it for sure." He Yiyuan was the first to voice his approval. "I have to thank you Advisor Xu. If it wasn''t for you, how could we have achieved this kind of understanding?"


    His kind comment was not made simply because he wanted to curry favor with Xu Jiaqi, but rather because he genuinely admired her, who was able to think in a fast speed akin to none when dealing with the tough topics that they had to bring up for the sake of their major moves.


    Xu Jiaqi was logical, concise, and decisive. If he had to name a person who could be considered his equal, it would be her. And only her.


    She was so perfect that his standards were raised to impossible levels, making him unable to look away and search for another potential partner. He didn''t know whether this was a blessing or not, because truthfully, he didn''t need any woman in his life to rule.


    If Xu Jiaqi was by his side, it would be the best outcome to ever happen, but seeing as to how resolute Xu Jiaqi was in keeping her promises, the chances of that happening was zero.


    "Yes.. It should not be a huge burden if we advance like this, with the help of everyone." Another representative joined in, hints of surprise clear in his eyes because of how fast they managed to solve the matters. "Advisor Xu, I have heard of great rumors surrounding you even in the Land of Xi, but it''s truly fascinating to experience it right ahead. I have big expectations!"


    "The same goes for me. I came here a bit worried, but my old friend He Yiyuan looked particular murderous when I almost rejected his offer!" Laughing hard, another opinion chimed in.


    The representatives were all leaders of big groups- individual ones with large power. They were all influential, and had lots of encounters with He Yiyuan before.


    If He Yiyuan was not here, this cooperation would not be possible. Naturally, Xu Jiaqi felt quite thankful for this convenient chance to prove herself.


    "..It''s a great honor on our part as well. I would have never expected big brothers to come and join me like this without brother He. Then, off to a good cooperation! I hope that we will get along well for the rest of the time we are going to spend from now on. Please take care of me!" Xu Jiaqi responded with the same amount of enthusiasm.


    Synergy was important in plans like this. She couldn''t move in a haphazard manner since her enemy was still much larger than herself, so borrowing the hands of another is the most suitable plan if she wanted to achieve her goal fast enough.


    Clapping sounds resounded throughout the entire room as everyone was pleased, going home with great anticipation for the upcoming events.


    "I must say, I''m really troubled that you don''t have a speck of interest towards my Land of Xi." He Yiyuan chuckled as he approached Xu Jiaqi, being the only one who hasn''t left the room aside from Xie Yongrui.


    "..It''s not that I don''t have any interest. If that was the case, I would have never agreed to spend my precious time there." Xu Jiaqi answered. "Alas, we are going to become comrades whether we like it or not. Only by doing this kind of thing will we be able to change the world''s momentum at once."


    Changing the people''s minds was also a major point. It was a relatively similar tactic with the ones she used to usurp the Holy Land and the Empire last time. She skillfully inserted her influenced into scattered places, gathering favor from all parts of the world.


    Unfortunately, she wasn''t a Saintess, and there was no platform for her to just broadcast her existence in turn into a massive star.


    "Are you not afraid that I will betray you because you.. didn''t submit to me?" He Yiyuan wanted to test her conscience, he taunted her whilst knowing that Xie Yongrui was also present in the room.


    He wondered how the two would react.


    Unexpectedly, he wasn''t able to catch any sort of reaction at all from the two. They just stared at each other. There was no traces of estranged emotions.


    "Why would we be scared? We are the ones with the lowest stake in this party. If anything, shouldn''t you be the one to fear all this? The Empire won''t regard us as that big of a threat, but if it''s the Land of Xi''s King, personally.. What do you think?" Xie Yongrui answered in Xu Jiaqi''s stead, looking at him like he was an idiot.


    A clear displeasure was shown, as he knew that He Yiyuan purposely said that to try to incite disharmony.


    "...Ha! How cruel, I didn''t think that you would say it that way. When the time comes, don''t blame me if I drag you down." He Yiyuan said, faking haughtiness.


    "Could you afford to do that? I''m not an enemy you should make light of."


    "...I, out of all people, would know that the best, Qiqi." He Yiyuan stressed the nickname the woman had, ''Qiqi''. It rolled of his tongue so well, and reminded him of all the times she had boldly scolded him, the esteemed King.


    She was so brilliant. So dazzling that.. it became his biggest loss when he let go.


    He had traces of regret on his face, but he didn''t sow it for long before he turned around to leave the couple alone.


    As the vicinity was devoid of any other presences, Xie Yongrui hugged Xu Jiaqi from behind, lying on the crook of her neck.


    "Qiqi, when you were there, did he confess to you?" He asked.


    "Yes." Xu Jiaqi replied instantly. She had enough trust in Xie Yongrui that he wasn''t dumb and foolish. Rather than lying and risking the credibility of their relationship, she just went ahead and spoke about the truth.


    "I know you declined, or else you wouldn''t be here by my side." Xie Yongrui pinched the tip of her nose and sighed. "But.. Haa, that man still hasn''t given up on you. Should I do something?"


    "Why would you? He''s a very useful man, and important part of our plan."


    "I didn''t say that I was going to do anything to He Yiyuan." Xie Yongrui released her from the hug, but instantly twirled her around, a coquettish grin showing up as he kissed her neck, drawing a long, straight stripe of saliva as his tongue glided against her skin.


    Xu Jiaqi blinked a couple times.


    "..You''re getting bolder. Is this the result of my own teachings? Wow." Xu Jiaqi smirked, playing into the tone Xie Yongrui created and grabbing the back of his head with one hand, using her other hand to touch him in separate places.


    A few light moans appeared here and there as they began to bask in each other''s loving touches. Xie Yongrui was tempted even further with Xu Jiaqi''s generous bodily response. His hands travelled through her supple skin, leaving noticeable pressure.


    Lifting and prying apart her legs to dig deeper, Xie Yongrui lowered down her underwear and reached her flower cave. He began to tease her with his long fingers, inserting them and playing around in a circular motion.


    Xu Jiaqi''s body was sensitive, a layer of honey instantly gushed out and coated Xie Yongrui''s digits.


    With a scissoring technique, he began to loosen up her accepting hole.


    "Someone might come in here.. Let''s move to another place. It''s not good if we are seen in such a professional scene." Xu Jiaqi said, tugging on the hem on Xie Yongrui''s clothes. She shuddered under his touches, but she still hadn''t forgotten where they were. She had brought a handkerchief with her and used it to muffle her moans, but there was no telling if somebody was going to enter and discover them indulging in this kind of action.


    In response, the man bit her lips, aiming to silence her worries.


    "..Stop, Rui. We can take this.. somewhere else." Xu Jiaqi pushed him off, smoothing out some wrinkles in her clothes, trying to restore her refined state.


    Xie Yongrui pouted, pulling her in for a kiss one more time before moving backwards to tidy up his own clothes, giving in to her requests.


    "The little King is unsatisfied?" Xu Jiaqi glanced at him flirtatiously, wanting to push him to his limits.


    "Qiqi.. can we just announce that we are together to the entire world?" Xie Yongrui mused as he finally finished his clean up, looking just as presentable as ever.


    It turns out that before the meeting was held, Xie Yongrui had already somewhat mingled with the rest of them. The topic of Xu Jiaqi going to Xi and spending five years there, bringing plentiful benefits to the prosperous land was brought up. The capable representatives praised her abilities, which made Xie Yongrui elated and proud.


    However, with it, they also nudged on He Yiyuan and Xu Jiaqi''s ambiguous relationship. Right, ambiguous. That was what it seemed like to the public. After all, who would just let a woman like Xu Jiaqi, with unknown origins, come to Xi and be given an opportunity to soar? He also let her return after five years.


    Very, very strange. It wasn''t out of his expectations that they questioned whether the King of Xi and Xian Ruo''s Advisor had a special bond behind their work backgrounds. However, hearing it straight was still a bit.. jealousy-inducing.


    Xie Yongrui had been fed with a mouthful of vinegar right before the meeting started, it wasn''t a surprise that he was so calm and cold the whole time!


    Xu Jiaqi: So that''s how it is!


    System: Host, I could smell the vinegar from miles away, how come you only realized it now?

 Chapter 173 - 3.69 [M]

    Xie Yongrui took Xu Jiaqi''s word too literally, as he immediately left the building with Xu Jiaqi''s hand in tow. He tried his best to keep up a still disposition, but it took a toll on himself.


    The thought of returning to their inn passed through his mind, but he remembered what He Yiyuan said about Xu Jiaqi''s eloquent sounds being heard by an outsider. Feeling uncomfortable at that thought, he proceeded to take her to another secluded place that would be safe for them to engage in.


    They ended up temporarily renting out a small cottage, which only had the bare necessities.


    "Qiqi.. you bullied me." He pouted, acting coy as he trapped Xu Jiaqi against the wall.


    "Ao? Bullying.. How can someone like me bully another soul, ah? I''m so innocent and good." Xu Jiaqi pulled on his robes, loosening up the fabric that tied his clothes up nice and tight. "You bullied me earlier when we were still in the conference room. Luckily, I pushed you off. Or else, would you have listened?"


    "Mn.. Qiqi, baby, let''s not talk about that." Xie Yongrui took off Xu Jiaqi''s flowery hairpin, letting her luscious locks fall downwards elegantly. He ran his fingers through the strands of hair and kissed her softly.


    "Be good.." Xu Jiaqi whispered as she tugged and dragged him to the designated bed, sitting down on it and taking off Xie Yongrui''s clothes like she was unwrapping a fabulous gift.


    Immediately, she saw his aching member poking out of his underwear and grinned, leaning closer to it and leaving tingles left and right with her feathery teasing.


    Xie Yongrui''s breath hitched as the woman allowed the cold breeze of air to hit his hard on. He bit his lip to prevent any sounds from coming out, but would Xu Jiaqi really be Xu Jiaqi if she didn''t take this chance to provoke him further?


    She blew warm air over the tip of his penis before sticking out her tongue and giving it a slow and torturing lick. She then engulfed it in one go, thanking the heavens that she did not have any gag reflex. Or else, she would''ve choked on the monstrous package Xie Yongrui boasted.


    "Qiqi..!"


    Enjoying the sinful sounds that came out of Xie Yongrui''s mouth, she took whatever she could into her mouth, sucked it generously, and pumped the rest of it with her soft hands. It drove Xie Yongrui mad, feeling pleasure shoot up through his entire body and blood rushing to his third leg, making it harder than ever.


    Moving in an up and down gesture, Xu Jiaqi continued to ''help'' Xie Yongrui until she felt like it was enough. She looked upwards, a trail of precum dripping from the edge of her lips. The rod exiting Xu Jiaqi''s mouth made a popping sound.


    "It''s my turn." Xie Yongrui''s voice was rather raspy after letting out silent screams so much. He was heavily affected by her actions, being on the peak of his arousal. However, he couldn''t just let her do all the work. How could that be?


    Xu Jiaqi was the love of his life, and bringing her pleasure was something that he would be willing to do anything for.


    Xie Yongrui''s fingers rubbed against the entrance that he had touched upon earlier, but was denied completion from. He slowly made his way into the puckering hole once more, loosening up the tightness of the cave.


    Allowing him to do everything he wanted, Xu Jiaqi sat back while she took in the tremors and shock his skills sent her.


    After much care, Xie Yongrui placed the tip of his length on top of her soft petals, drawing circles to push Xu Jiaqi closer to the edge. Desire piled up in both of their minds. Xu Jiaqi''s hole seemed to welcome Xie Yongrui''s knocking on the door far too much, as it twitched- making it seem like there was a little mouth sending small kisses to his dick.


    "What are you lingering around for? Hurry and.. get inside." Xu Jiaqi was someone who enjoyed a sensual exchange, but waiting was not something she wanted to do in this case and scenario. She toko the matters into her own hands- quite literally.


    Grabbing onto the massive length, she slowly lowered her hips, savoring the feeling of being filled up to the brim. She started with slow thrusts, working her hips and using her hands as a pillar of support by holding down Xie Yongrui''s shoulders.


    "You''re filling me up.. Rui- ahh!" Xu Jiaqi moaned sharply as the man began to respond with his own set of moves. His thick rod began to rhythmically move inside her. A mixture of pain and pleasure- one that deluded her every senses and made her nuts.


    She relished in the euphoria that he brought her to, arching her back.


    Xu Jiaqi''s body, in response to his strikes, began to move in tandem with the pace he set. The only coherent words that came out of her mouth was his name, and sweet praises for the man that only served as further fuel for his passion.


    His hands clamped against Xu Jiaqi''s waist, as he lifted her ever so slightly in order to get a better angle and allow an easier entrance against Xu Jiaqi''s tight grip.


    "Qiqi, you''re so tight..." Xie Yongrui let out a breathy groan as he hooked her pair of long, slender legs on his shoulders and continued plunging his staff. "It''s so warm.. Qiqi, I love you so much."


    He sealed her mouth with a hot kiss, sloppy and messy due to their rather aggressive moves.


    _____


    "Qiqi.. should we tell everyone after all? No one will object to us being together.. and what difference does it make?" Xie Yongrui pleaded. He had just finished deep inside Xu Jiaqi, shooting his load into her and filling her up.


    He was still inside her, and it was hard to not keep going on. Only God knew how many rounds they engaged in, as both of them didn''t have the right mind to count.


    "Haa.. asking something like that in the bed room.. Well, do whatever you want. I don''t think I mind at all." Xu Jiaqi chuckled. She was laden with tiredness, as her body was at its limit after so many rounds of exercising. She slowly closed her eyes shut and left for the dream world.


    _____


    Say, how long has it been since she had a good rest? Ever since she got to jump into these worlds and meet her men, a night without terrifying dreams seemed so far away that she no longer knew what to do. It was as if the universe itself was mocking her, trying to get her to break down by supplying these maniacal scenes to her.


    But she has never broke down. Not even once. The only sensation she felt.. Was that she was slowly becoming one with the her from the dreams. The ''Xu Jiaqi'' in those dreams seemed so close. So united with herself.


    Was that a good thing, or a bad one? Through reliving those painful memories, what was she supposed to learn? She never knew the answer to that question, nor did she think she wanted to know.


    Today, too, was like that. Not even the many rounds of sex she had could stop her never ending clips of memories playing.


    However, before she was able to finish watching it all play out before her, she was awakened by the very man who fucked her for hours. Xie Yongrui''s brows were knitted as he held Xu Jiaqi''s face in his hand, wiping the streaks of tears that fell out of her eyes.


    "Rui.. What happened? Why do you have that look on your face..?" Xu Jiaqi frowned as she woke up from her slumber- her tragic dream. She felt sluggish, and her body was tired after the adrenaline they acquired wore off.


    Today''s dream was about her fighting creatures in the interstellar realm. She was the forgotten daughter of a Star General- one whose existence was thought to be gone forever. She came back and attained success, reclaimed her true identity.


    But at the end of the dream, she was killed. Killed by a vengeful woman who hurled curses towards her, even though she didn''t even remember who the woman was. Why she acted so hostile towards her. To be exact, she was about to be killed. Before her life ended for good, Xie Yongrui woke her up.


    The daunting feeling of being so near to death in the dream lingered even as she was already awake right now.


    "..You cried in your sleep, and you were squirming a lot.. I woke you up, I''m sorry if there was nothing wrong. I was just worried." Xie Yongrui said, a bit nervous. No one liked to be bothered in their sleep, but he just couldn''t bear it.


    He was woken up by Xu Jiaqi''s cries, and he was shocked to find out that she was crying hard. To the point of raising her voice.. This wasn''t the first time, and it he was far from being desensitized to this fragile and confused side of hers.

 Chapter 174 - 3.70 [END]

    Xie Yongrui''s pitiful gaze as he waited upon Xu Jiaqi''s response made the corner of Xu Jiaqi''s lips curve up.


    "Actually, no. It''s probably for the best that you woke me up.." Xu Jiaqi scoffed as she sat upright, a glare present on her face.


    Her dream was.. interesting. Interstellar realms. She hadn''t even been in one yet. She had seen those types of settings in her past life, in sci fi movies that boasted a high technology standard.


    How far ago was the memory in that dream? Why couldn''t she recall it? What was the relation it had with Xie Yongrui''s soul? These same questions. Left unanswered every time it came up on her mind. And yet, it kept popping up. For obvious reasons- being that of her worries about the unknown.


    She looked towards the man, who was deeply worried about her. He was also an anomaly. Upon encountering her for the first time in this world, he recognized her and took a rather extreme interest in her for someone who they had just met.


    "...We''re in a huge pickle. We''re together, just like this, but we don''t even know what''s going on between the two of us. Tell me, if that isn''t stupid, then what is?" Xu Jiaqi smiled, but there was no happiness in the gesture.


    "What..?" Xie Yongrui didn''t grasp her meaning at all. He was the type of man who would unconditionally say yes to everything that Xu Jiaqi said, except for things that would hurt her. He found it hard to respond to Xu Jiaqi like he always did.


    There was too much pain in her eyes, almost making her seem distant and estranged.


    "Nothing. Let''s go back to sleep.. Come, I want to hug you until I pass out." Xu Jiaqi encircled his large body in a tight hug as she once again closed her eyes and forced herself into sleep.


    The dream did not replay again. God forbid her have the same scene play out twice. So many dreams had already been experienced by her, but not one of them was continuous. It was always a different topic each time she went into the dream land.


    How many lives did she live through? How was she in the past? Was the current her similar to the past she harbored, or was it completely different?


    She wanted to be patient. Go through her missions one by one until she was powerful enough to know what was happening with her. But how could she? Each day, she had to be tortured with the view of a gruesome end ''she'' met.


    It wouldn''t be long before her dreams assimilated with her own senses, would it? Xie Yongrui said that she was crying while she dreamt. It confirmed the fact that she was slowly approaching the perfect unity.


    It stressed her, but she could only continue forward.


    She woke up, did her best in the world she was currently in.


    But the influx of memories changed her so much from the beginning when she thought about it. Where was Xu Jiaqi? Who was Xu Jiaqi?


    The original her, from the planet Earth, working as a powerful businesswoman who held authority over many regions. Was that Xu Jiaqi.. still her?


    She changed. Just like everybody else, she naturally could also change.


    But her change was something that scared her. She was so used to her principles as the ''first'' Xu Jiaqi. She thought that she knew herself well. Knew what suited her. Knew what she wanted.


    But did she truly know any of that?


    Or.. was everything just a big lie after all?


    The answer was still far from being discovered by her that it pained her. As she gradually approached the ending of her mission in this world, she wailed.


    ''Who am I?''


    _____


    That question continued to show up every now and then, whenever she was faced with an existential crisis one more time. However, she continued to move on, knowing that her mission had the highest priority out of everything that she had to do.


    She worked with the other bigshots to fight off the control the Empire tried to enforce over its land. Xian Ruo, now having the connection with all these prosperous regions grew stronger and stronger, to the point where it was finally worthy to stand beside the other legitimate powerhouses.


    Of course, the process wasn''t instant. Although they received a lot of boosts, it still took time to solidify their presences while being careful at the same time. Just to establish Xian Ruo''s proper foundation, it took them almost three years or pure hard work and commitment.


    There was a time when Xu Jiaqi was interested in this world''s ''son and daughter of the heavens''- the ''main characters'' of this world. However, never once did she encounter them. At least, that was what she thought, because her brilliance would outshine anybody who comes close to her path anyway.


    Time kept rolling. With each day, Xian Ruo grew further and further, eventually becoming a land that was welcome to people and did not need to hide and be secretive all the time to not garner any attention. They were finally able to grow.


    Leaving traces of their work everywhere, Xian Ruo''s power kept rising until one day, the fateful event approached.


    Xie Yongrui''s coronation as the Emperor of the new Qi Empire.


    Unlike what the media shows about geniuses taking over a country with ease, the real deal was way different. You had to consider each working part of the country. Those who wrote about a male lead being able to work to the peak and date all day were also lying.


    This was why, the fact that they were able to relax and hang their shoulder lowly in their private space right now was somehow much more gratifying than anything else that went on in the refurbished Empire. In total, it took around a whole decade to finally be able to demolish the last Empire.


    Not to mention, gathering the required credibility for an Empire. The Kingdoms that held their offensive stances up at first, had to be appeased and convinced of their worth before the plan succeeded.


    During this period of time, since they truly wanted to realize their goal, they were immersed in their work and didn''t have much chances to actually bond as lovers. It was quite funny. Sometimes, they even acted like they were strangers so that they wouldn''t be distracted.


    Working, working, and working.


    Though, many clandestine meetings were still formed, albeit being seldomly done throughout the years.


    In the end, they were past their prime age, but their love still stayed intact.


    The formation of the Qi Empire marked the downfall of the one and only Empire that the world had ever known for all these years. A new power, a fresh start for the world.


    Controlling the damages that happened to the world in total took a toll on them, but they persevered and managed to calm everything down, garnering acceptance for their capable rule.


    In this world, Xu Jiaqi continued to live with Xie Yongrui until she died of a natural cause. Xu Jiaqi''s body was weak in the first place since her childhood was nothing close to a decent one. She contracted a terrible disease from an outbreak. She did not live past forty years old, but the memories that she left would be etched in the world''s history forever.


    Everyone knew that the Empress was anything but a trophy wife. She was brave, valiant, and stood as the Emperor''s equal. Even a blind man could tell how much Emperor Xie loved the woman that he held close to his heart. Her achievements were unlike anybody else, and the ones who were truly close to the couple perfectly knew that Xu Jiaqi was the one who had the final say in everything.


    When the Empress lost her life, there was a grand mourning ceremony, but the participant that everyone had been waiting for did not show up.


    -Where was the Emperor?


    As soon as Xu Jiaqi left, it was as if Xie Yongrui lost all will to continue and began to daydream of a new life. He was completely thrown off the balance of life. He died inside, and what was left of him was just an empty shell that longed for his departed love.


    Before he left for good, he met up with the Empress'' personal maid that she had kept for decades until she faced her death. Her name was Lin. After the Empire was built, her position was further raised since she was


    "Lin, love is like a poison. Qiqi''s death killed me. Like a deadly substance, it eroded me from the inside. I may be talking to you right now, breathing and all.. But am I really alive?" Xie Yongrui asked.


    Lin was just as lost as Xie Yongrui, not being able to answer him.


    Xie Yongrui then turned to disappear into God knows where. At that time, Lin knew deep down that the man would never come back. But she didn''t stop him.


    Because there would be no use.


    A poisoned man, who no longer had any traces of the bright figure titled Qi''s wise Emperor.


    Even if she stopped him, the man would never be the same as the one in the past.


    Thankfully, the couple had adopted a child that they raised together, and that same child was written to be the next Crown Prince should the two Rulers die. The child was capable, and had all the right morals and values after being taught by two of the greatest people in the world.


    He upheld the rank that he suddenly obtained, being crowned as the next Emperor and continuing the legacy with great respect for the ones who raised him to be this way.


    And such, that was the final outcome that Xu Jiaqi, our treasured agent Host, managed to obtain.


    The curtains were drawn, and with a timely save from the System, Xu Jiaqi''s soul returned to the System Space to await her next target.

 Chapter 175 - 4.1

    After her eventual death, Xu Jiaqi''s soul was rescued by the System and brought back to the System space, where her consciousness came back online.


    [Welcome back, Host. How are you feeling? Would you like to take a rest first?] The System inquired, running a safety check over Xu Jiaqi and making sure that nothing was out of the ordinary.


    The agent in question plopped her body down on the bed. Although travelling through the spatial dimensions was supposed to take a toll on her body, her perks as a transmigrating agent covered all of it to the point that she actually felt rather refreshed now that she was back in the space.


    The space had a special feel to it that consoled her soul. She could tell that in here, her soul would be in its most stable state. Which was obviously understandable, since this was the place her soul was bound to in reality after having died in her original world.


    Oh, that statement should be false. ''One of'' her original worlds.


    She still hadn''t figured out a single thing about her absurd past, so there was that.


    "Yeah.. I''ll take a rest. You''re going to receive the assessment, right? Do wake me up once you return." Xu Jiaqi could still feel that her entire being was heavier than normal after returning, so she closed her eyes shut to rest.


    [Alright, Host! This world.. your death was from a natural cause, and you didn''t cause that much trouble since you bothered to fix and balance everything after each move you made. The System should be kind to you and give you the highest grade, since I don''t see anything wrong with the mission!]


    "Mm. Good night, System." Not caring too much about the results at this point, she fell asleep, basking in the pleasurable feeling of her soul getting healed.


    The System then left the vicinity to gather their profits from the Main System, as well as doing some other stuff.


    [I am terribly sorry, Host.] The System wanted to apologize profusely, but he was unable to say it straight to her face for fear of what she would think of him.


    As far as he was concerned, the only way to securely move around this matter is to make the Host forget about what happened with ''that soul'' entirely. Now that they were both back here, and the Host was fast asleep, he would be able to perform the magic he had prepared for a long time.


    _____


    [Reporting. Agent Xu Jiaqi has returned, and her soul is in a vulnerable state. Requesting authority to overwrite parts of her memories to control the damages done by the ''target''.] The System spoke to an Administrator with great respect.


    The Administrator was also a System, but one with much larger power over the Main System. In truth, the Main System was an inanimate object, unlike him. The Main System, which was created by the Creator, existed as an autonomous power who continued to spawn more Systems, which would then look for a task taker to work with.


    This continuous cycle was what maintained the entire universe''s balance, since there was tons of small worlds that had problems with it. The Administrator was someone who could tweak things in this system using the power invested in them. Naturally, their authority was also a gift from the Creator who bred these special entities to take charge.


    Outside of it, he existed. The prototype System designed specifically for catering to Xu Jiaqi''s situation. At first, he thought that he was the same with the others part of the System legacy, but his existence was a deviation from them in entirety. He was born from the Origin, not from the Main System.


    A System designed by the Creator. He had a name, one that signified his purpose. But it wasn''t time for that to be revealed just yet.


    The Administrator received System''s input and approved of it, picking up Xu Jiaqi''s data and processing the world results.


    [Mn. I have looked over your case. Good work for bringing her back here. She is competent, just like always. The missions were cleared with stellar results, Grade SS+. You will receive a generous upgrade if you maintain this streak of victory. However, regarding the matter of your authority, I''m afraid that I can''t grant you the power. The Creator has said that her memories shall not be erased, but rather should be locked instead.]


    [What?! But.. weren''t her memories locked already from the start? She''s beginning to break through whatever seals we placed on her. If we just continue to lock it up, then it''s only going to be escalating the situation. When she finally realizes what''s happening, it''ll be all too late to fix!] The System was still adamant on his idea.


    It was for the safety of his Host, no matter how cruel it was to rip the fateful pair apart. There was too much bad luck that surrounded them, no matter if they liked it or not.


    Locking it up? This solution was dumb, and would only work temporarily!  Look at how pitiful his Host were! Complaining about her terrible dreams.. While he could only sit there listening to her pleas without contributing any help at all.


    It was suffocating.


    [Erasure is a bit of a tough topic. In the worst case, it could lead to the both of them being harmed. Her memories are incomplete, and her head is full of jumbled information. If it was only simple memories, then it would be fine, but the target was present in her life for so many years. What do you think could have happened in those times, especially if Xu Jiaqi is starting to recover her memories with clarity?]


    [...Is it because their souls carved a bond?!] The System was shocked. If that was the case, then it would make sense.


    A bond meant that their souls now contained a part of each other, being tied together not just physically, but also spiritually through divinity.


    [Yes. Now that you''ve figured that out, you should know why erasure is not a viable solution for us.] The Administrator had no emotions as he talked, only paying attention to Xu Jiaqi''s data as he confirmed the System''s suspicion.


    [Do not fret too much. The Creator has managed to form a seal that would be effective for at least one world. In this period of time, even if the target could wield his divinity and tries to break the seals, he won''t be able to. This is a surefire method which we will use for the time being.] The Administrator added.


    [..There better be a good, permanent solution ready by the time the seal is close to breaking.] The System was still vexed at the ending he had to take, but there was nothing he could do to defy the System''s will. He didn''t have enough authority to alter Xu Jiaqi''s memories by himself anyway, he had to obtained permission.


    [The Creator is working on it. You only need to supervise her and report any anomalies you spot. Your job is not to fix the problem, but rather as an ''overseer''. You might have gotten cocky after spending three worlds with her, but disposing of you is as easy as pressing a single button and exchanging you with another advanced prototype. I hope you know this well enough.]


    [...Yes.]


    [Now go back and tend to her carefully if you don''t have anything else to do, child of Origin.]


    [Ah.. One more question, please. Will the seal lock all of her memories? Then, the past three worlds will be overwritten as well?]


    [That is true. The previous memories will be corrupted ahead of time, and locked up by the seal. She will still remember the concepts of divinity and such, but she won''t recall anything about the target. In fact, as we are speaking right now, she is undergoing updates on her soul''s seals.]


    The System was silenced.


    The Administrator''s words meant that the decision was already made even before the two of them returned here, but none of the news were relayed to him.


    They were dead set on sealing Xu Jiaqi''s memory up from the start, his opinions did not matter to them. The reveal was a bit painful to handle.


    The System thanked the Administrator and excused himself, going back to report to the Host with a heavy heart. He had to be extra careful with his actions, lest he get caught playing a suspicious act.


    His Host was sharp, and it made him feel like he was treading along the lines of a cliff''s edge, waiting to be pushed up by just the slightest gust of wind.


    ______


    [Host! I have returned. I will present you with the results now, is that fine with you?] The System asked. He was worried on how effective the seal was, but he forced himself to trust the Creator''s seal.


    Xu Jiaqi didn''t notice the System''s anxious state and nodded in return. A text window packed with information instantly dropped down before her eyes. Looking over her results, she felt satisfied. It wasn''t a futile thing for her to thoroughly pave her path to success before leaving.


    This was her third time getting an SS+ grade, the maximum rank one could achieve.


    Along with the announcement, she also began to feel like something was missing from her. What was it?


    It irked her.


    ______


    Xu Jiaqi: System, did you do anything strange to me while I was asleep?


    System: N-no.


    Xu Jiaqi: System, do you know that you are very cute? Bad children who lie will get punishments, you know~


    The ''target'': I''ll serve the punishment in your stead, Qiqi.


    Xu Jiaqi: ...Who is this again?

 Chapter 176 - 4.2

    [How is it, Host? As part of your reward, your soul will naturally be strengthened.. Also, for the extra reward.. En, how do I say this? It''s not going to be an item, but rather..] The System inquired after seeing his Host finish reading.


    He was hesitant while voicing his announcement, which made Xu Jiaqi confused.


    ''What are you so scared of? Is the reward bad?'' Xu Jiaqi frowned, wondering why the System couldn''t speak clearly.


    [Host, the reward is exclusively for me. I got upgraded.. There''s nothing else. I-I also think that it''s unfair, Host! How can they do this~!] The System wailed as he lamented their fate. To him, this reward was of course a good thing, but what about his Host?


    Xu Jiaqi blinked. She became even more confused. How come the System actually thought that she wouldn''t like the reward? The System was her one and only companion, the one who actually understands her situation. She didn''t get what was going on.


    To be honest, the reason for it was because the System had learned from the other Systems. Apparently, their agents tended to be a lot more greedy. They felt like their efforts should be rewarded with items and other perks that would make their challenges easier in the future. They would blatantly extort their Systems for impossible things.


    Xu Jiaqi was of course, not someone who had such things in her mind.


    ''You getting an upgrade is a good thing. You will continue to help me anyway, so get stronger and I will profit out of it as well.'' Xu Jiaqi wasn''t mad at all. In fact, the reward that she had obtained from the first world hadn''t even been used in the slightest that she thought it was quite a shame.


    The second world gave her a sword, which she was able to utilize when she fought bravely against her enemies under Xian Ruo. She didn''t have any other qualms, and knew that she was capable enough to survive hard situations, so did items even matter?


    Her System being granted better features would benefit her more since she frequently used the System''s help in her worlds.


    [H-Hosttt!! You are truly the best, wuwuwu!] The System broke down after seeing how good his Host was. The more she acted kind to him, the more he felt bad doing things behind her back.


    Jeez, why does everything need to be so troublesome?!


    He wanted to just quit all of these jobs and live with his Host somewhere in a faraway world where they wouldn''t have to do any missions, and would just live comfortably.


    ''You were worried about such a thing.. System, I really don''t know how low you think I am. I wouldn''t be the type to bother about those kinds of things, so you can''t worry like that again, understood?''


    [Roger, Host! Ah, how long of a vacation would you like to take?]


    ''About.. a month, I suppose. In the mean time, I want to try deepening my knowledge. I couldn''t maximize my potential in the previous world. I realized that I wasn''t as bright as I thought.. There are still many things that I am not aware of. I want to fix that.''


    System: Are you serious? Do you want to drown in the spit of those you beat down to the ground with zero mistakes? If you''re not that bright, then what are they?? Vantablack? Their grievances will accumulate and pulverize you in one go!


    The System was a bit shaken up, but he still did as told and didn''t correct Xu Jiaqi.


    [A month will be granted to you as vacation! Please ask for any type of resources you wish to handle, and I will bring them to you.]


    ________


    A month later, Xu Jiaqi was finally ready to leave the System space. She had equipped herself with a lot of knowledge, which she learned using her excellent memory and intelligence. She diversified her knowledge on things, since she noticed that she was heavily business oriented and was imbalanced in other factors.


    If she only had to play in her original world, then it would be fine, but she had to travel through many bizarre realms like the interstellar one she saw in her dream sooner or later.


    She had to prepare herself for anything thrown down her way.


    That being said, the world she just entered did not seem to be an interstellar realm, but rather just a regular setting in modern times.


    She woke up abruptly, not realizing that she was tucked in a bed and that there was a catheter inserted in her. Her movements made the IV bag connected to the tubes shake, and her head instantly flared up with heat.


    The two people who were in the room instantly reacted and held the shaking pole down.


    "Qiqi, you should rest a bit more. You can''t wake up like that! I''m really sorry, I didn''t expect for you to faint right there.." The unknown woman was the first to say something.


    "What are you talking about? It''s not your fault that she fainted! Xinran, you are far too kind for your own good.." A man''s voice obstructed the other.


    Meanwhile, Xu Jiaqi was still feeling dizzy and couldn''t bring herself to move around. She just stared at the two figures who stood beside her bed with a confused gaze without saying anything.


    ''The System.. should be busy with other things.'' Xu Jiaqi concluded. Until he came back, she had to deal with these two with her own assumptions and understand her current memories well.


    The best way to do that was of course, going back to sleep. She did not react to their words and just slid inside the blanket one more time, closing her eyes.


    She could hear some disgruntled noises from the man, but she paid him no heed as she processed the information.


    Xu Jiaqi looked at whatever memories she had while she pretended to be resting, and combined it with the information the System left her. The incidents that happened was clear from start to finish.


    Her current body was a teenager that had quite the unfortunate life. Xu Jiaqi was born to a renowned pianist mother and a reputable composer father. The pair of musicians garnered respect from not only the music community, but also the general public as a whole. They were borderline celebrities who also maintained a strict quality in their works. Their appearance and personality were exceptional, and the bond they shared was quite famous.


    Being surrounded with such a musical background, she was naturally introduced to the field of music from an early age.


    Her parents would nurture her and try to seek her passion in music, holding high hopes that she would become invested in music just as much as they did. And Xu Jiaqi did inherit her parents'' talents.


    Taught by no one else but her precious mother, she learned to play the piano and showed prodigal tendencies as she continued to learn the instrument and express her tones in such a beautiful way that people had nothing but praises for her. She also picked up the violin, which was taught to her by her mother''s close friend. The future seemed so bright for her.


    Furthermore, she liked to sing above everything else. Xu Jiaqi loved to use her voice for various means, she loved exploring different genres and analyzing the emotions behind each and every single one of those pieces. It was just simply a pleasure for her, an action as natural as breathing. Her performances were always associated with angelic tones. Critics that were known to be harsh recognized her worth and applauded her.


    She was a gift to the world, a precious gem.


    Her parents willingly supported these hobbies of hers, reaching out to their acquaintances on how they could make their daughter''s talents be appreciated further. Xu Jiaqi was then made to jump into the entertainment scene. Of course, she wasn''t forced in any sort of way in the entire process. Her parents did love music and wished for their daughter to adopt the same sentiments they had, but their love for Xu Jiaqi far surpassed anything else.


    They would never force her to do anything, and were prepared to drop the idea of her entering the music world if she didn''t want to in the first place. Luckily, the girl was entranced with the colorful world of music.


    Xu Jiaqi''s popularity rose quickly. She truly excelled in making others fall in love with her. There was a specific type of charm that she possessed, making the others not be able to pull their eyes away from her. The music she created was filled to the brim with excellence, and people loved her as a whole.


    When she was ten years old, her fame was already widespread internationally, and her path to stardom was unmatched by anybody else.


    However, one day, a terrible accident occurred.


    The start of Xu Jiaqi''s downfall, the beginning that reduced her to what she is right now.

 Chapter 177 - 4.3

    No one had ever thought that such a vile action could be executed, but it did.


    A man, who proclaimed himself as a fan of Xu Jiaqi loved her so much that he.. kidnapped her.


    The kidnapping lasted for seven days in total. A whole week where each second felt like hell to the little Xu Jiaqi.


    In those seven days, he treated Xu Jiaqi like a broken music box. He bought a cheap violin using whatever money he had left before he started up his plan. After fleeing with Xu Jiaqi, he forced her to play the instrument over and over again. He forced her to sing with a smile, just like the way she did inside the shows she did.


    Since Xu Jiaqi was riddled with pure fear of this crazy situation, she couldn''t perform well. How could she still smile when faced with this sort of situation?


    She played the songs as tears rolled down her cheeks, her sobs interrupting the bizarre sounds coming out of the instrument because her hands were shaky. It created an extremely heartbreaking performance that would draw pity from a normal person.


    But not the culprit, not him.


    When this happened, he would curse at her and even hit her sometimes, saying that she was a fraud and that she was untalented. That she was worthless for not being able to play properly in front of him, a fan. He didn''t even provide her with proper meals, nor did he let her sleep peacefully.


    He was a man with a broken soul. He was incapable of feeling the slightest bit of pity as he dealt with Xu Jiaqi like she was an object.


    It was like he deliberately aimed to make Xu Jiaqi''s life hell even though she hadn''t done anything to him.


    The perpetrator had been embroiled with a series of tough situations. He used to have a stable job and a happy family, but everything crumbled down as he got into large debts for gambling. He lost his job, his wife, and his daughter. His mind was crushed again and again, and he began to harbor negative thoughts when he saw Xu Jiaqi''s shining presence.


    She was the complete opposite of him. She was so bright and lively, like a ray of sunlight. While he had to live day by day struggling to even get a spoonful of rice because nobody wanted to associate themselves with him.


    He was rather smart, too smart for his own good. He was able to locate and identify Xu Jiaqi''s schedules. The child would of course not be watched 24/7, even if she had a tight schedule. He was prepared to leave everything behind, and was eerily fixated in achieving his goal of kidnapping Xu Jiaqi.


    His reason was that Xu Jiaqi looked similar to his daughter. It was a nonsensical reason. Because Xu Jiaqi, except for possessing the same hair and eye color, didn''t hold a speck of resemblance whatsoever to the pictures of his daughter.


    Perhaps, it wasn''t Xu Jiaqi. The target of his deeds wasn''t only the innocent child, but also her family as a whole. The Xu family was successful and had a lot of fame to their name as a harmonious family. They''ve held a reality show where they showcased a day of their lives, and the viewers could see how happy they were as they spent their lives together.


    Their bright smiles and overflowing happiness. For someone like the bastard kidnapper, perhaps it was a deadly blow to his mind. A vivid trigger for his past.


    Still, for that sort of reason, he killed a little girl''s soul.


    There was nothing that could pardon his crime. He was imprisoned, and Xu Jiaqi''s family made sure that he would get the worst punishments possible. However, the man did not even get a lifetime sentence in prison, meaning that he would have to get out one day and be released into the world.


    But Xu Jiaqi, the little girl, would always remember the incident that scarred her forever. She would never be able to recover from the pain, and would always have to suffer in the shadow of her trauma.


    Xu Jiaqi, who was traumatized by the incident found herself unable to bear the same love she had for music in the past any longer. Every time she tried to pick up her instruments, her hands trembled, and she wouldn''t be able to play the pieces that she once performed in front of thousands of people waiting to see and support her.


    She could no longer sing with a pure heart like she once did. It was like an object was permanently lodged inside her throat. Every time she tried to sing, she would remember the feeling of her throat burning after being strained so much when she was kidnapped and forced to sing anything the man wanted. She still remembers his loud shouts that would hurt her ear. She remembered her own wails when she broke down. The voices that haunted her every night when she went to sleep.


    Talking took a toll on her, not to mention carrying out entire songs. Singing was now an impossible thing for her.


    Xu Jiaqi lost her passion in music and had her mental state plummet down to the ground. She began to distance herself from people, having an innate fear of everybody else. Even the smallest gestures like reaching out their hands to her would freak her out and make her cower. She associated music with extremely negative thoughts even though it was the subject that she used to adore the much in the past.


    Ultimately, she was a child. In the stages of life, are children not the most impressionable phase out of all of them?


    This was just the beginning. One of the disasters that existed in her life. It was not the end, not at all.


    There were still many more trials and challenges that were waiting for her to fall into.

 Chapter 178 - 4.4

    The next case started as Xu Jiaqi was being treated in a rehabilitation facility. Even getting her into the facility was a hard task.


    After the series of incidents, she naturally withdrew out of the entertainment circle, which was the subject of people''s distress. The loss of a great star that used to soothe millions of hearts with her works, and the disgusting case that befell upon her.


    People would often question. What did she do in order to become a victim of that sort of treatment? This kind of unwarranted act, it was too inhumane.


    Unfortunately, other than lamenting over her sad fate and cursing the culprit, there was not much that they could do. At most, they wanted to donate some funds to the Xu family''s daughter''s case so that they could prosper in their hard times, but they refused to take the donations and said that they would like some time off from the media.


    It was precisely because Xu Jiaqi was in a fragile state- so fragile to the point that she would break in a single touch. She would crumble down in front of anything that triggered her heart''s shadow.


    Her parents didn''t want to take the risk of hurting Xu Jiaqi, so they purposely wanted to hide from the rest of the world and focus solely on her. They had to endure painstaking efforts and endless coaxing for the girl to finally agree to be brought out for treatment under a strictly controlled environment catering to the girl''s scars.


    Whenever she waited for her parents to arrive, she would always stare off to a blank wall. Her mind would be fully distracted, and her thoughts would be blank.


    That was why, that day, when her consultant came over to deliver the sad news, she couldn''t comprehend what they were saying until a few minutes passed.


    Then, it took her another few minutes to process the meaning behind their words. Another few to discern the situation, and the fact that she just lost the final hope in her life. Her beloved people.


    Finally, she needed another few years to accept that her parents had died and there was no way she could see them caring for her again.


    That day was the day her heart completely shattered. The last light she had in her light died out.


    She was taken into a new family, who tried their bests to cater for her, but Xu Jiaqi''s condition would only keep on deteriorating, not getting better in the slightest.


    ______


    "Qiqi seems to be back asleep. We should go out now, so that we won''t bother her and accidently wake her up." The woman spoke.


    "Haa... This girl is really bothersome. Xinran, why do you act so kind towards a person like her? You should''ve just left her be. She''s not even your family."


    "Ziyi, how can you say such things? You''re too cruel! Qiqi is very good." Xinran scolded the man named Ziyi. However, Xu Jiaqi was someone who could detect even the smallest hints of undertones in someone''s speech.


    She was able to discern the light bits of mockery inside Xinran''s tone.


    They didn''t leave like they said in the beginning. They continued to chat over small matters, and didn''t even try to lower their voices. Where was the caring lady that said they might interrupt her sleep? What is this behavior?


    Xu Jiaqi listened to the sounds of them bickering meaninglessly.


    Right off the bat, she was able to sense that this conversation had some dubious elements in it that made her doubt the sincerity behind each member''s participation.


    After some back and forth talks, the man


    "Xinran, I''m really not joking. I think we should just leave her. You and Aunt Zhao has been looking after her so meticulously, but she is almost an adult, right? You should just push her away when the time comes. You''ve suffered so much."


    "...Ziyi, I know that you don''t like Qiqi, but I really can''t do anything about this. You know how close my family was to the Xus.. My parents won''t agree to that unless Qiqi asks for it herself."


    "Then we can just make her say she wants to leave to your family! She''s this stupid, she will definitely obey us if we just trick her enough."


    "Ziyi, let''s not talk about this right now. Please.." Xinran said in a saddened tone.


    "O-okay. I''ll do that for you. Please don''t be sad, Xinran! Come, let''s get out of this gloomy room. She will sleep for hours just like usual. If anything happens, then she can just call up a nurse. There''s no need for us to be here! Aunt Zhao is just making this difficult for you.."


    Their voices slowly dissipated into nothingness as they headed towards the door and left the room, leaving Xu Jiaqi alone.


    "..They finally left?" Xu Jiaqi opened her eyes, sighing. Her throat was extremely dry. She reached to the side to drink some water, but found out that her body was extremely weak. Her hand trembled hard even though she was just trying to hold a glass of water.


    Xu Jiaqi truly wondered. They didn''t have a speck of shame as they discussed the life matters of a person like Xu Jiaqi right in front of the actual target. There was even a discussion about plans to kick her out.


    How pitiful was the owner, to be treated with no regards at all?


    ''System, are you back?'' Xu Jiaqi asked.


    Ding!


    The familiar mechanical sound rang. The System popped out and greeted Xu Jiaqi.


    [Yes, Host! Congratulations on successfully transmigrating here~ I just got done processing our entry to this world. How are you feeling, Host? I saw that you have met the two leads of this world. It''s quite unlucky, but our existence directly overlaps with the leads..]


    ''Zhao Xinran and Song Ziyi?''


    Those two names were part of Xu Jiaqi''s memory, and belonged to the couple that was just in the room a few moments ago.

 Chapter 179 - 4.5

    Those two names were part of Xu Jiaqi''s memory. Zhao Xinran was the daughter of the Zhao family, which used to be quite the close acquaintance for the Xu couple. Meanwhile, Song Ziyi was her boyfriend, and the one who openly disliked Xu Jiaqi''s existence hovering over them.


    Even though the one to reach out for help was not Xu Jiaqi, but the mother of the person he liked.


    The other members of the Zhao family, Zhao Dinghao and Zhao Shiqi, were respectively the father and mother of Zhao Xinran. Indeed, in the past, they had been quite close to the Xu family. However, was it really that simple?


    ''Suspicious, hm?''


    [Yes, ah. Host, you shouldn''t trust them! I looked over the general plot, and saw that this Zhao Xinran is actually just acting so she could get recognition and pity.. Also, she sabotaged you a couple times in the past!] The System protested.


    ''I know, System. I''m not that blind. I can tell that.. this little girl is just playing to be a good person. Does she think she is slick?'' Xu Jiaqi chided.


    However, if one knew Xu Jiaqi well, then they would know to avoid messing around with her, or involving her in this sort of play. She was someone who was well-versed in the arts of making people suffer, how would a simple couple like this obstruct her way if she set out to do whatever she wants?


    Xu Jiaqi: Bring it on, give me everything you''ve got. This lady will play with you.


    System: I worry for whoever offends her..


    ''System, it should be time for you to investigate this world again. Do you have any qualms?'' Just like always, Xu Jiaqi planned to send the System on a little trip to help her find substantial information.


    [Of course not, Host! With my newly updated privileges, I will be able to assist you much further! Please entrust me with the task. I will bring forth satisfying results!] The System boasted, feeling powerful after being granted the special rewards.


    ''Then, that''s that relief. I will be counting on you. Though, the mission is already out, right? Show it to me.'' Xu Jiaqi said.


    [Yes, Host. Please wait for a couple seconds.. There you go.] The System pulled out a notification window in front of Xu Jiaqi and let her see the missions that she had to accomplish.


    Like always, there were two quests. However, the side quest was blurred out and filled with question marks like it was in the first world.


    [Main Quest: Bring Back Golden Star''s Light of Brilliance.


    [Details: Xu Jiaqi had to suffer under the hands of a stranger that ruined her chances of living a happy and fulfilled life. Xu Jiaqi used to have a vibrant dream of becoming a musician acclaimed by many people, she wished to use music to communicate her feelings and thoughts. A genius'' gift was destroyed just like that, but her everlasting dream shouldn''t be let go. Her voice might have been stolen once, her abilities dampened for years, but a true star''s brilliance is one that could never be eaten up. Return the path of glory that belonged to Xu Jiaqi''s talents, and the mission shall be cleared.]


    [Side Quest: ???]


    [Details: ???]


    Regaining one''s glory. Xu Jiaqi''s situation was tough to deal with, but it wasn''t impossible. She was confident that she could do it if she was just given an appropriate amount of time and preparation.


    As for the second mission, according to her experience, it should pop out as she goes through her days in life. There was no rush in trying to force herself to figure out what it was.


    ''..It''s acceptable. Gaining the public''s love is relatively easy, especially if I already have a pitiful background. It''s the perfect crowd stealer... Although, I''m wondering if I changed my attitude so fast, would I be caught?''


    [About that... Yes, Host. Unfortunately, this world we are in is quite the high-leveled one, and trying to make an immediate change would garner the attention of the world''s fate.. Which won''t be good for us.]


    ''I guessed so.'' Xu Jiaqi smirked, being intrigued by the new challenge.


    Xu Jiaqi''s existence practically disappeared from the world the moment she fell deep into the murky hole of misfortune and hid herself away, shielding her fragile spirit from everyone else.


    To come back from this.. A way for her to communicate with the public without showing herself, and yet still gaining love was needed.


    [What should we do, Host..?] The System was worried. He was confident in his Host''s ability to prevail, but this would be the first time she got engaged directly in the world of music. Would she even be able to play as good as the late Xu Jiaqi?


    Of course, the System had made a massive mistake by doubting Xu Jiaqi. At this rate, what could she not do? Although she had only lived in four worlds, this being her fifth, she never stopped learning about new things in those realms.


    She wouldn''t be a supreme musician, but she was way above the average standards. Added to the original body''s talents, it shouldn''t be hard to replicate the original abilities, if not surpass it even more.


    ;Well, it doesn''t really bother me much. I can just work around it.''


    Xu Jiaqi was rather nonchalant.


    [Do you have a plan, Host?] The System was hopeful as he asked with enthusiasm.


    ''For now, we will have to detach ourselves from the Zhao family. I seem to recall that.. the Xu family had quite a large sum of money, but looking at the hospital that I am in right now, it seems quite shabby.''


    This fact caught Xu Jiaqi''s suspicion. Added on to the fact that Zhao Xinran was much likely a white lotus who pretended to like her..


    [Right, Host. This also drew my attention. Do you think there is some foul play.. Not only in Zhao Xinran, but the entire Zhao family??]


    ''Like I said, I''m only blindly guessing. If that''s the case, then there''s more for us to do. It might add to our mission''s completion as well, you know? This could be a lucky stroke depending on how we approach it..'' Xu Jiaqi chuckled.

 Chapter 180 - 4.6

    The System shivered as he watched the Host grin in a rather unnerving way.


    ''Investigate, System. Information is key. Our intuitions are strong, but without evidence, what can mere speculations do? First, your target will be the Zhao family. After you gather information about that, come to me and report everything. After that.. There''s a special target that you have to investigate. It will be a bit tricky, but it could be a great clue.'' Xu Jiaqi carried an aura of mysteriousness as she ordered the mechanical companion to do some tasks.


    [Understood, Host!]


    Influenced by Xu Jiaqi''s confidence, the System also wished to pick up his pace and headed out to sort the things Xu Jiaqi had mentioned.


    Meanwhile, Xu Jiaqi just stared at the cloudy windows as she sighed. There was something bugging her about herself, but she couldn''t quite wrap her hands around it. Was she thinking too much?


    She pursed her lips, feeling strange. She then began to plan for her missions with a stirred heart.


    First of all, to get out of this hospital, she had to gauge the amount of change that she could maintain. What caused her change, and how she would start to change. Xu Jiaqi calculated everything inside her head, setting up a major story that she would follow in her path.


    The original soul did not mention anything about wanting to make the Zhao family fall, nor was there anything about taking revenge. Not even to the culprit that ruined her life that day. It made her wonder, why was that?


    If she was in her position, then she would definitely take this chance to ask for revenge.


    Perhaps she was too naive.


    However, Xu Jiaqi was not. Whoever dared to wrong her like this, then she would also not dare to let them live a smooth life.


    Everything had to start with some ''rehabilitation''. Thankfully, there was nothing wrong with her body, it was just that a huge mental scar existed within her heart.


    Xu Jiaqi pretended that her heart was appeased. Day by day, little by little, she started to show signs of getting better, and her mind being more peaceful than ever.


    Before, the nurse would always be greeted by a sight of Xu Jiaqi awake from the dead morning, in a crouching position and burying her head deep into her knees. It was not seldom that Xu Jiaqi''s cries were heard outside the room.


    The heartbreaking wails of a girl whose heart was torn apart. There was no way one wouldn''t feel sympathy for her unless their heart was skewed.


    However, the nurses who attended to Xu Jiaqi regularly began to notice that the night sounds were lessening, and Xu Jiaqi''s constant daydreaming was also beginning to shorten.


    She was even able to talk a few sentences with the nurses, making them feel elated. Having known her for quite some time, it was only natural that they felt ecstatic upon seeing Xu Jiaqi starting to come out of her shell and approach them out of her own accord.


    They must help this pitiful child!


    Under Xu Jiaqi''s constant, yet slow and controlled improvement, the nurses slowly grew fonder and fonder of her. This was because the child was too precious!


    With every gesture and action she made, one could sense the genuineness and innocence behind them.


    There was no way to not like her.


    Thus, when one day, Xu Jiaqi requested that she wanted to go visit her foster parents on the basis of wanting to express gratitude, they were a bit taken aback. However, after some coercing from Xu Jiaqi, in which she used her expert ways of begging and selling cuteness..


    The nurses gave in.


    Xu Jiaqi smirked as she sat down inside the taxi that she called up. Xu Jiaqi was wearing nothing but the pure white hospital robe. The nurses tried to change her into some regular clothing and have someone accompany her back to the Zhao family''s home, but both offers was shaken off. Of course, this was because Xu Jiaqi wanted to start sowing the seeds of doubt within people''s minds.


    Even the smallest bits of her action would be part of this. The taxi driver was rather confused upon seeing Xu Jiaqi get into his car. A young, sickly beautiful lady calling a taxi and getting in without anyone supervising her. If not for the fact that a nurse properly sent her off and said to the driver that she was just going home, he would''ve thought about this passenger in a more suspecting way.


    However, the lady was calm in every sort of way, and even smiled to him gently. She was beautiful, and had a good temperament. Even though her physique was thin and her skin a bit pale, she was still an eye candy.


    No one disliked beauty. Xu Jiaqi knew that beauty was a powerful weapon for just about anybody, so she used this to her own advantage.


    Fro when she first jumped into this world, more than a month had passed. System was still out, so it could be assumed that the matters were a lot more clouded than she thought it was.


    Her first suspicion upon landing in this place was that Xu Jiaqi''s misfortunes in life were a little bit too convenient and that she didn''t buy it at all.


    Most likely, the Zhao family that she was heading to had a part in it, right?


    For now, she had to fish for some crimes. Specifically, the fraud that the members of this family committed.


    The ride took around fifteen minutes, but they quickly arrived. The nurse that sent Xu Jiaqi off had gave her some money to pay the fare and said that it would be charged under her name, but Xu Jiaqi did not want that.


    She wanted to make the Zhao family come out by themselves using this taxi driver.


    The taxi driver didn''t know her identity as of now, but who knows? In the future, when she began to show herself more and more to the world.. Perhaps a little taxi driver''s testimony could very powerful.


    Xu Jiaqi smiled as the car stopped.

 Chapter 181 - 4.7

    "Little lady, we have arrived. This is the place you''re headed to, right?" The driver asked.


    "En. But.. Uncle driver, my family is inside. I didn''t carry any money since I kept my arrival a secret. The fare will be paid by them. Could you ring the bell so that they come out?"


    The driver was a bit suspicious. "Uh.. do you have their contact information?"


    "You can''t! I''m paying them a surprise visit, so I will hide in the car.. Is it possible, uncle?" Xu Jiaqi acted cute as she looked at the man with a pleading look.


    "...Can, can! Little lady, who can disobey you when you''re like that? Stay put in the car, uncle will call them out for you. Then, you can surprise them." After a few seconds, the taxi driver became compliant. He then got out of the vehicle and rang the house bell.


    After all, Xu Jiaqi looked perfectly normal. The hospital that she came out of wasn''t a specialized mental hospital, but rather a general one. This was also one of the points that caught Xu Jiaqi''s suspicion regarding the Zhao family''s foul play.


    However, thanks to this fact, the taxi driver did not suspect that she was originally a mental patient. Instead, he thought that she was just a regular girl who possibly got injured and decided to come home by herself.


    The door bell rang a few times, and before long, Zhao Xinran''s figure came out of the doors. She ran over to the gates and saw that there was a taxi parked in front of her house. Wondering who it was, she asked the driver through the door monitor.


    "Who might it be?" Zhao Xinran''s sweet voice echoed through the communicator.


    "Good morning, I''m here to drop off a lady by the name of Xu Jiaqi.." The driver didn''t know how he should confirm Xu Jiaqi''s credibility and just said her name, in hopes that his passenger did not lie to him and that this was indeed her home.


    The other end was silent for a few seconds.


    "M-mom! Qiqi is here..!" Zhao Xinran fell out of her trance and panicked momentarily. She rushed back into her house.


    Hearing her voice, the driver felt a bit relieved. It meant that the girl did know Xu Jiaqi and this wasn''t the wrong address. He gazed towards his car and saw the beautiful girl seated with excitement.


    "How is it, uncle?" Xu Jiaqi smiled brightly as she asked.


    The uncle driver was a bit troubled. By the reaction that Zhao Xinran showed, she didn''t exactly seem happy, nor did she want to see Xu Jiaqi? Clearly, the lady knew this ''Qiqi'', but what was with the reaction? Why did she run back inside..?


    He looked back and forth from Xu Jiaqi''s lovely face to the Zhao family''s opened doors. He decided to wait.


    "I should come out now~! Auntie is coming." Xu Jiaqi strutted along the road, skipping with glee.


    "Auntie? Little lady, is she not your biological mother?"


    The question did seem to be a bit personal, but their current situation wasn''t that ordinary as well.


    "Yep. I''ve been sick for quite some time, and both of my parents went to heaven. The Zhao family was close to mine, so I somehow got taken care of by them. Although.. I don''t know, sometimes, it feels like they don''t like me. But that''s probably just my overreaction!"


    The driver had to deal with a lot of people daily, so he was quite the expert at sensing things. He already began to feel like there was something off.


    It didn''t take long until Zhao Shiqi, the beloved Auntie Zhao showed up.


    "Ah! Auntie''s here! Auntie, could you pay my taxi fare? The uncle driver is waiting, hurry and give the money, ah. He''s very kind, he agreed to play along my surprise plan." Xu Jiaqi didn''t show a speck of mistake in her acting. "How is it, I''m here now. Are you surprised? You must be, right..?"


    Very innocent.


    A happy giggle that was innocent, when heard by the sinners at the other end of the door monitor, seemed especially eerie.


    Xu Jiaqi shoved her face up the door monitor''s camera. This camera was also probably bought by her parents'' money, right?


    "Y-you! How did you come here?!" Zhao Shiqi shouted.


    "Ao, are you not happy to see me, Auntie?" Xu Jiaqi pouted and made a wronged face. "Auntie, it''s not right to shout at me. You can''t do that.... You already know how I am. Auntie, I''m scared, hurry and take me in. Uncle driver, the money, Auntie..." Xu Jiaqi began to shed tears, showcasing her mental instability to fool them.


    "A-ah. Right, right. Xinran, go fetch some money for the fare. Mister, sorry for the inconvenience.. We were just worried about Xu- Qiqi''s wellbeing.. After all, it would''ve been better if we picked her up by ourselves." Zhao Shiqi did not want to be implicated in some strange matter and decided that the best course of events would be to send the taxi driver away and talk with Xu Jiaqi inside the house.


    Zhao Xinran nodded and went back inside the house, fetching some money. The door was opened, and the money was brought. Xu Jiaqi snatched the cash and turned her back against Zhao Xinran.


    "Uncle driver, thank you for helping me today. Be sure to remember me, alright? My name is Xu Jiaqi." She handed over the money and said in a small volume so that the ones behind the door wouldn''t hear.


    If one wasn''t sharp, they would think that nothing was wrong.


    But this..


    Xu Jiaqi didn''t say anything further than that. She waved goodbye towards the taxi driver, who returned the gesture and went back inside his vehicle. Xu Jiaqi, on the other hand, was dragged by Auntie Zhao inside the house, and the door was locked shut.


    The uncle driver set off after receiving the money, but he still couldn''t shake off his bad feelings. The little lady''s name.. seemed so familiar, too.


    Xu Jiaqi, Xu Jiaqi.. Wait, Xu Jiaqi?

 Chapter 182 - 4.8

    He hurriedly took out his phone and searched the name up. Typing it into the search bar, several auto-fill options already popped out.


    -Xu Jiaqi


    -Xu Jiaqi scandal


    -Xu Jiaqi parents


    -Xu Jiaqi tragedy


    -Xu Jiaqi past performances


    -Xu Jiaqi tragic story


    -Xu Jiaqi songs


    -Xu Jiaqi...


    Xu Jiaqi??! The child star who shocked the entire world with her talents, attracting audiences from all sorts of groups internationally?!


    That Xu Jiaqi was just in his car a few moments ago??!


    The driver was shocked, rightfully so. However, after he discerned the matter further, why did everything seem odd to him?


    Xu Jiaqi''s condition.. Being taken into this Zhao family.. Their reaction when Xu Jiaqi came back..


    The taxi driver didn''t want to meddle in too much, but the pieces of information was stored inside his head. He remembered this encounter and the girl''s charms.


    Later on, when the real Xu Jiaqi made a comeback and fought for justice to be served.. Who knows what will a little taxi driver''s involvement entail.


    Xu Jiaqi was dragged by Zhao Shiqi into the living room, where Zhao Dinghao was also sitting on the sofa reading tabloids. His eyes widened upon seeing Xu Jiaqi''s face pop up.


    "O-old lady, why is she here?!" Zhao Dinghao was shaken.


    "How would I know?! Ask her! She came here by taxi and asked us to pay the fare so suddenly, I don''t know anything about this!" Zhao Shiqi was not happy, but she was someone who loved face. Rather than rejecting Xu Jiaqi''s arrival and risking a fuss being made, she would rather take her into the house for now.


    Even so, her presence made her uncomfortable.


    "Auntie, uncle, my birthday is soon." Xu Jiaqi brought up in a small voice, staying true to her character for now. She had to postpone her breakthrough until she was in a better condition.


    "And what about that, huh?!" Zhao Shiqi was agitated, so she forgot to act like a caring aunt. She coughed, clearing her throat before shifting back into her usual temperament. "Qiqi.. You know it best. Auntie is just worried about you. You are so sickly, do you think you can hold a birthday? All the previous years, you didn''t have a birthday party because of this reason, ah."


    Zhao Shiqi thought that the reason Xu Jiaqi was doing this was because she probably overheard someone talking about birthday parties and wanted to have one herself. It''s hard to predict what was inside the mind of a mentally ill patient.


    "Auntie, I was approached by a lawyer who said things about my parents'' inheritance." Xu Jiaqi did not specifically link the two matters together, but instead said those two sentences separately.


    With these words, surely the Zhao family would click the truth into position on their own.


    "Aiya.. This matter.. Qiqi, it''s not that we intended to trick you, we were going to tell you about this after you become an adult. Who was the lawyer? Really, if that happens again in the future, you must call Auntie or Uncle first! This matter is hard to handle, Qiqi shouldn''t be burdened by something like this, ah." Zhao Shiqi spoke.


    Zhao Dinghao, who watched over Xu Jiaqi carefully seemed to sense that something was wrong with Xu Jiaqi. Bringing up this kind of matter and purposely saying that her birthday was soon, what else could her meaning be aside from wanting to ask for the money back??


    He wondered if Xu Jiaqi was just playing dumb, or that she had regained her intelligence and wanted to rob them back.


    Zhao Shiqi was talking about this matter so lightly, but Zhao Dinghao was better at scheming and was much more careful with his way of doing things.


    He gestured for Zhao Shiqi to shut up and let him talk. Zhao Shiqi was baffled because her husband suddenly pulled her backwards and gripped her wrist tightly, which made her feel quite a lot of pain.


    "...I''m not willing to take the legal path, but my parents always taught me that I can''t get swindled. I''m so innocent and pure, they said that I will definitely be an easy target to others. To prove them wrong and make them proud, I should seek vengeance."


    Zhao Dinghao gulped a mouthful of saliva. As he expected, Xu Jiaqi was here for that. It wasn''t just a harmless inquiry, but rather a conversation starter to lead to this sensitive matter.


    "Qiqi.. Do you even know the sum of money that your parents gave you? To tell the truth, we are also struggling, ah. The sum that your parents bestowed before they left.. We used it to cover your treatment expenses too. We even pitched in our own money." Zhao Dinghao''s wariness was activated, but still, Xu Jiaqi was Xu Jiaqi.


    After knowing her for years, and seeing how dumb she turned out to be, how could he not underestimate her as well? It was a lucky stroke for her that she got to meet the lawyer and was told about the matter. However, what use would there be?


    It was a good thing that Xu Jiaqi rushed here instead of staying with the lawyer. This meant that they could fool the girl!


    "My parents weren''t that poor. Besides, the hospital that I''m staying in, I''ve checked the prices. Calculating my stay.. There''s no way that all the money was consumed, and there''s also no way that Auntie and Uncle had to pitch in money." Xu Jiaqi''s tone was dry, and her face was devoid of emotions.


    A chill ran through their backs as the little girl''s stare swept by them.


    "Qiqi.. How could you doubt us?! We have taken care of you for all these years.. Was it the lawyer?! It must be the lawyer who told you all these things just to delude you, right?! I want to meet with that lawyer! They must be trying to sow discord between us purposely!" Zhao Shiqi broke into tears.


    This action was made to try and trigger Xu Jiaqi''s condition. It was not a secret that the girl was weak with sudden exposure to extreme things, whatever it was.


    In her mind, everything had to be neutral, or else she would be terribly affected and experience a breakdown.


    Having someone cry in front of her was part of this spectrum.


    Zhao Shiqi, who wanted to take advantage of this, earned the scorn of Xu Jiaqi successfully.

 Chapter 183 - 4.9

    Responding to the situation, a certain man came downstairs from above. He rushed to Zhao Shiqi''s side, immediately suspecting Xu Jiaqi to be the culprit without knowing the full story. After all, why else would the woman be here and not the gloomy hospital?


    "Xu Jiaqi! This ungrateful wench.. You actually dared to make Auntie Zhao cry?! Do you not recognize the amount of effort that she used to take care of you all these years, the amount of love she has for you to the point of making Xinran watch over you as well?! The Zhao family has been very good to you, who can''t even do anything but leech off others!"


    Song Ziyi''s loud berating attracted everybody''s attention and successfully covered the room in silence.


    "Song Ziyi, right?" Xu Jiaqi''s gaze was cold as she stared at him with scorn present in her eyes. "Do you even know how Zhao Xinran treated me all this time? Do you know that the one who took care of me was not the Zhao family? They are thieves that should be condemned. Calling me an ungrateful wench.. If not for my parents, would Zhao Xinran be able to enter the university she is in right now and pay the tuition money?" Xu Jiaqi refuted his claims.


    Xu Jiaqi used her own condition to her advantage. Her emotional levels were indeed supposed to be like a rollercoaster ride, it would skyrocket all of a sudden and fall into silence out of nowhere. Not to mention, due to Zhao Shiqi''s provocation, it could be said that her throwing a tantrum is not something that''s weird.


    "The Zhao family isn''t even wealthy, my parents told me that they were embroiled in some serious debts. Now, you guys are living here in such a nice and big house after my parents died and I got sent to treatment. I wonder where you guys got the money from??!" Xu Jiaqi, with tears running down her face, shouted at the Zhao couple.


    Zhao Xinran retracted backwards. It felt shameful. She had always known that there was something more to their wealth, and never wished to acknowledge it. However, now that she was confronted like this, all that she could feel was embarrassment because Song Ziyi was right beside her.


    Song Ziyi''s first encounter with her was in the campus. It was after she had transformed into the Zhao Xinran that everybody now knew, a literal campus Goddess that was hailed by many.


    The university she entered, like what Xu Jiaqi said, was indeed one with quite the high tuition. People who went there were all at least middle class in wealth, with some exceptions being that of people who got in using scholarships. Zhao Xinran fully paid the tuition, so people who knew her naturally also thought that she was considerably wealthy.


    Song Ziyi was one such person. In the university, who didn''t know of the man named Song Ziyi? The campus hunk whose parents led a large company, and subsequently granted him a life filled by riches.


    Zhao Xinran was happy that a man like Song Ziyi wanted to court her and stay by her side. However, at the same time, she was always plagued with the thought that she was inferior to him, and was always scared of what the man would think of her when he found out the real truth behind her ''wealth''.


    Zhao Xinran bit her lips and knew that she couldn''t stay here any longer.  She tugged on Song Ziyi''s sleeves. Understandably, the man was still fully suspicious of the credibility behind Xu Jiaqi''s words. However, if Xu Jiaqi continued to persuade him, who knew what would happen?


    She definitely had to bring him out of here right this very instant!


    "Sinners will always be caught. Remember that." Xu Jiaqi smiled, turning around and walking up to the stairs, going to the second floor without letting anybody know.


    Zhao Shiqi hurled curses towards the fleeing woman, but Xu Jiaqi never turned back to look at them and just continued to make her way upstairs.


    "T-that bitch! I must catch her, or else-" Auntie Zhao was furious. A vibrant red flush was present on her face as she stomped across the room and aimed to chase after Xu Jiaqi.


    "Old lady! Stop right there!!" Zhao Dinghao raised his volume and shouted with all his might, making Zhao Shiqi stop in her tracks.


    "Old man.. That rotten sow-"


    "Don''t talk anymore! Xinran, take your boyfriend away and clear this room!!" Zhao Dinghao was much more crafty than Auntie Zhao, and knew that the situation was not looking good for them.


    He was hit by a migraine and waved his hand hastily, telling Zhao Xinran and Song Ziyi to scram out of the place.


    "O-okay. Dad, don''t be too harsh on Qiqi. It must be that she''s affected by her condition and came back here without thinking far. Dad, you must bring her back to the hospital so she can be calmed.." Zhao Xinran didn''t forget to act out her ''kind, generous act'' to dispel any doubts that Song Ziyi might have had.


    "Mom too, you shouldn''t get that angry. It''s bad for your health. Qiqi was wrong, you need not rage. I''m sure that she will understand too if you break the information to her slowly. We have to be patient with Qiqi."


    Zhao Xinran completed her perfect caring words.


    She nodded and bade her farewells, dragging Song Ziyi out of the house and saying that they should go out for a walk to distract him from the topic.


    Inside her heart, she was cursing out her mother. How can her own birth mother sully her image like this?! Cursing so violently and displaying an uncouth attitude, what if her boyfriend grows to have a bad impression?


    She clicked her tongue, but there was nothing she could do since it had already been done. Song Ziyi, who heard the blatant, ungraceful words Auntie Zhao spouted was a bit taken aback, but it wouldn''t be enough to corrode his feelings towards Zhao Xinran.


    In fact, he grew fonder of her. Even as she left, facing such a Xu Jiaqi, she still found time to care for her mother and even opted to fight for Xu Jiaqi being spared. How kind could this girl be?


    It was just a shame that her mother was.. that way.


    Zhao Dinghao banged his fist on his armrest after Zhao Xinran and Song Ziyi left. He glared at Zhao Shiqi, clearly pissed off by the current situation.


    "How can you act like that?! Song Ziyi is different from us, he''s a true wealthy second generation young master! Born with a golden spoon! It''s a rare luck that our Xinran managed to catch his eye, but you actually dared to say all those.. unrefined words! What if he thinks badly of us, and decided that he doesn''t want to take us as his in-laws?!"


    Zhao Dinghao was also fuming, but he was better at controlling it.


    "What?! Are you blaming me?! It''s Xu Jiaqi! It''s that bitch''s fault! How dare she show her face around me like that? Do you think I haven''t suffered, taking care of that wretched couple''s kid and pretending I like her just to not rouse any suspicion with the hospital staff?!" Zhao Shiqi voiced out her own set of complaints.


    "Shiqi! You know well that there''s a reason we need to take good care of Xu Jiaqi! Do you think I haven''t thought of throwing her out and letting her fend for herself out there?!" Zhao Dinghao fought back. "It''s just that if we keep a close eye on her by tying herself to us, we would be much safer and in a better position! If not, why would I continue to pay for her expenses?!"


    "Do.. do you believe that Xu Jiaqi is speaking the truth?!! She is nothing but a dumb and powerless child! How would she be able to harm us now that we''re in this position?!"


    "Shut up!! You don''t know anything! You only know that you have gotten rich from all those incidents, and you''ve blinded yourself! Meanwhile, I have to deal with many operations to keep us afloat!" Zhao Dinghao pointed towards Zhao Shiqi and berated her in anger.


    "Huh?! Why are you blaming me? I didn''t do anything! Besides, aren''t you also like that?!"


    "Ha.. The main point is that Xu Jiaqi is currently in our house. We can''t take any extreme actions since we don''t know yet if she''s just faking her intelligence or what. I doubt it since her condition has been long running for so long, but there''s no harm in being more careful."


    "What should we do? Give her money to shut her up?"


    "If it could be resolved that easily, then it would be for the best. We would only be parting with some of our funds, but at least we won''t get in any trouble. If anything, the one who will be painted as the villain would be Xu Jiaqi herself! Ha!"


    Xu Jiaqi, who didn''t enter a room and was instead listening to the conversation downstairs hummed as she decided to show herself back out.

 Chapter 184 - 4.10

    Her footsteps were light, but to the ears of the Zhao couple, it carried a terrifying meaning behind all of it. The child didn''t go into her room. If she truly became more intelligent, then did that mean.. She heard everything that they had talked about?


    A thin layer of sweat was formed on their skin. Their faces scrunched up in a mixture of emotions.


    "Oh, please do not show such an.. uncomfortable expression after seeing me." Xu Jiaqi giggled as she clasped her hands together.


    "You.... cursed child. It would''ve been better if you just stayed in the hospital until you die!" Zhao Shiqi was a little frightened after her husband''s talk, but she still couldn''t help but curse Xu Jiaqi.


    "Yes,but I also think that going through the legal procedures will be.. much more harmful for you two and your beloved daughter. That''s what the generous lawyer said to me." Xu Jiaqi said. "I''ve woken up after so long, and I can''t just keep letting myself be caught up in the past."


    "What is it that you want?" Zhao Dinghao knew that he wouldn''t be able to get out of this situation without losing something, so he wanted to bargain.


    "As you may have expected it, you stole my parents'' asset.. I don''t know how you managed to get the rights to what belongs to me, but not only that, you have also wronged me over all these years." Xu Jiaqi announced coldly. "Above all, I think you know best what you have done at that time."


    In truth, Xu Jiaqi had no idea exactly what the Zhao couple did to come up to this point, it was nothing but a scare tactic to further elevate her case. Ambiguous lies that she made up.


    "I believe that money will solve all of this. Out of courtesy for my parents, I shall regretfully pardon you for the crimes you committed. But, money.. Of course, you have to reimburse me!"


    To be honest, all that Xu Jiaqi wanted right now was some funds to start her own business that would earn money and was related to her mission. Without any funds to her name, how could she actively complete her work?


    She didn''t have much interest in her parents'' original asset, because that silly amount wouldn''t matter much to her, who was used to gigantic amounts.


    "How.. much?" Zhao Dinghao was careful as he asked. The Xu parents did have a wealthy sum. It was one of the reasons that he was jealous of them in the first place, after all.


    They were both popular, had the looks, was loved by everyone, had superb talent, and so on. How could he, who was regarded as close by them, grow to be jealous as well?


    Well, it was a good thing that they fell apart. The only price they had to pay was actually taking in Xu Jiaqi and acting as her guardian.


    But now.. how much will Xu Jiaqi want to take from them? After collecting most of the assets, they managed to become a wealthy family, but they weren''t people who were geared up for business in the first place. After all these years, it was safe to say that the original assets had deteriorated quite far.


    If Xu Jiaqi threatens them with an amount that they can''t pay up for, they might have to take some extreme actions and corner this little girl.


    "Give me one hundred thousand dollars. In one go. That amount should be possible for you to take out right away. I hold some interesting evidences, and I''m prepared to send them to my lawyer. If that happens, then I guess you won''t have any back door anymore for you to escape from." Xu Jiaqi threatened.


    Zhao Dinghao felt intimidated. Why did the little girl change so much? He had always known that she was a huge eccentric, but this sudden change in personality.. What could explain it?


    Was it really just because of an encounter with a lawyer? That easily?


    He thought deeply. One hundred thousand dollars was a huge sum, but he could indeed pull that amount out. After thinking for some time, he finally decided amidst Zhao Shiqi''s fervent protests from the side.


    "..I will do it. In exchange, I want you to never bother us again! Go somewhere far and live for yourself, I don''t want to take care of someone who can''t even be grateful!" Zhao Dinghao still wanted to keep up his play, and sought to put the blame on Xu Jiaqi. "I want to put this exchange in form of a contract. You might be a little girl, so you wouldn''t know, but taking a large sum of money without explanation will cause nothing but problems for yourself."


    Although he didn''t know what happened to Xu Jiaqi, his most fervent wish would be to eradicate her out of his life. End the Xu lineage completely. That disastrous family that he loathed.


    He had to improve his conditions as to not suffer a huge less by any means possible.


    In his mind, this would be Xu Jiaqi''s loss in the end. What was one hundred thousand dollars if it meant that he would no longer be bothered by this matter any longer?


    Xu Jiaqi will be gone for good! In fact, it was a good thing that she only asked for that sum.


    Zhao Dinghao thought that he won.


    Xu Jiaqi: But.. you fell into my trap! That was exactly what I wanted to happen! Trap card detected!


    In the end, Xu Jiaqi received a pseudo money card that could be used. Xu Jiaqi made sure to threaten them extra harshly, so that the thought of locking the card would be rendered not possible.


    Xu Jiaqi left the house, and did not pay any heed to the couple who was still bickering. Instead, she pandered over to what she had to do from now on.


    She had to secure the basic necessities of life, so she quickly searched for a living space.

 Chapter 185 - 4.11

    After Xu Jiaqi received the money, she was quick to put it to use and set herself up for a special plan.


    She rented a room in a remote area that had decent qualifications, and bought a proper computer setup with all the gimmicks included. Since she had a hundred thousand dollars that she was able to spend right away, it was not hard to part with the money.


    She was going to earn much more in the end anyway.


    What was she going to do, you say?


    There was a particular market that suited her current conditions, and it made her want to try and get into the community to boost her mission up.


    She just had to wait for the System to come, since she needed the little guy by her side to secure everything together.


    She was going to become a mysterious persona that lurked in the internet and stole many people''s hearts! Saying it so straightforwardly made it feel embarrassing, but it was of no importance.


    The important thing was that her acting had to be top notch. She spent her time studying psychology, and created a scheme that was suitable to the original character''s own mind. Since she wouldn''t really be showing herself to the public at this stage, she didn''t need to be so careful. But there was no harm in being wary of things!


    She waited until the System showed up a week later. By then, she was already done with her research and was ready to launch the plan right away.


    "Now then~, shall we get to work, my beloved System?" Xu Jiaqi greeted the returning helper with glee, having a rather sinister smile plastered on her face.


    System: Wait.. me? I thought my work was investigating..


    The System was in for a big ride.


    [H-Host.. What is this?!] In front of the System was a separate computer that Xu Jiaqi had purchased specially for the System.


    "Let''s see.. To put it into simple terms, we''re going to swindle the market a little bit. System, you have a very powerful weapon in your hands, which is information. When we''re talking about stock market and such.. Don''t you think we can commit some interesting things? Our capital is one hundred thousand dollars. That should be enough to let us gamble here and there."


    [Host.. Don''t tell me, you want me to sit down and play with the stock market? Is that my task? How can I do such a thing?? I''m.. I..] The System was at a loss of words at his Host''s creative means.


    "Aiya, System.. In this big market, who would notice anything strange? System, stop acting like an innocent baby and face the truth... The way of life!" Xu Jiaqi triumphantly spoke, as if she didn''t just proclaim that she was going to cheat the market.


    Correct. Xu Jiaqi wanted to use the System to gather some funds for herself. The Zhao family must know that she didn''t have any money apart from the hundred thousand dollars that she had been given.


    Although her name was written under her parents'' will, she was not an adult yet, and she couldn''t even call up the proper authorities to take care of the issue right now.


    Rather than fussing over that amount of money, which must have been spent a lot by the Zhao bastards, she would rather earn her own income and work on her mission at the same time.


    Becoming famous, there were many ways to do it. If it was in an earlier era, then she might not be able to pull off such a feat, but this was the modern era. An era where people relied on digital services for most of their lives, staying inseparable with the heavens'' gift.


    Xu Jiaqi wanted to take advantage of this to play with her own skills and solve the problem of the original soul being timid.


    [Host.. This plan.. You''re so mean! You will be streaming and having fun with your audience, while I have to grind stock information all day? This is blatant bullying!] After Xu Jiaqi told him what she was going to do in the full extent, he was on the verge of crying out.


    He was just here to assist Xu Jiaqi in technical ways, but it didn''t mean that he was geared to earn money like a robot! He refused to do it! He wanted to act cute and frolic around his Host more!


    After all, he had just solved one of the highest hurdles that is facing Xu Jiaqi and that being''s unfortunate encounters, how could he fall down to such slavery instantly?!


    "Aww, don''t worry too much. I''m sure that you know a thing or two about how to earn money quickly that way.. Also, after my schedule ends, I will come to assist you. I want to become rich as fast as possible, that''s the only way I can come out of my ''shell'' quickly."


    Xu Jiaqi chuckled. She was a master at earning money, so she wasn''t all that worried about her capital funds. However, to match with the persona that she had created, she had to spend lots and lots of money.


    Spend lots, earn lots.


    The hundred thousand dollars would probably be gone in mere seconds once her plan was fully running. It was a rather rash act, but she needed to do this to construct her ideal ploy.


    Xu Jiaqi never let go of this ideology of hers. Money was everything. Just by having money, you would gain access to all sorts of things, be it legal or illegal. By not having money, you will be denied from most of the pleasures of life.


    For Xu Jiaqi, who was originally a haughty young miss whose arrogance was well earned, she couldn''t even think of living a life without success.


    No matter what means she used to reach the pinnacle, she would get there. Undoubtedly.


    The character she was going to play in this world was also naturally going to be a huge money lover. Someone who was crazy blind for the stacks of green bills.

 Chapter 186 - 4.12

    In this world, her first stepping stone was a streaming platform. In this platform, she would try to build her presence and drop clues about her story. She didn''t plan to expose anything about herself on her own.


    Instead, she would use the netizens'' boundless imagination to form their own theories about her, while she would just sit back and relax as she watched the entire tirade fall out. Once the time was ready, she would effectively  take up the whole case and solve it for good.


    The side mission was a bit concerning since she didn''t know what it was about yet, but she was sure that she would be able to overcome any type of threats thrown down her way.


    After messing around with her computer settings and making sure that nothing would go wrong, she began to apply to a certain website.


    -Ding! You have been registered to Heaven''s Court.


    -Would you like to listen, or apply as a streamer instead?


    Heaven''s Court was the name of a streaming platform that was catered more towards music and beauties.. Basically, it was the place one could enjoy a ''heaven'' on Earth. Talented musicians and beauties would flock to this place since it had a big audience that would gladly partake in sending over some funds to the talented streamers that brightened up their day or entertained them.


    For the fans who watched these streamers, they could offer up support by throwing money donations in form of gifts, or memberships. They would enter the chatrooms and interact with the streamer as they do what they were best at. This symbiotic relationship was one that boomed vastly not only in China, but also all over the world.


    A viewer did not need to be fans to only one streamer, and the streamer could also explore various different genres that dip their hands into in hopes of garnering their own dedicated fanbase.


    Trying to form a fanbase in itself was hard enough. Making them always tune in to your streams and feel good enough to end up rewarding you with money.


    The streamers typically had their own characteristic, which would attract specific fanbases according to their tastes. Or else, they would never be able to make streaming their only job.


    As for Xu Jiaqi''s character.. She hummed a happy tune as she typed in a few words on her keyboard.


    She had a few ideas about her name. First and foremost, it had to be catchy, it had to stand out from the rest of her competitors. There were many streamers whose names were long as hell and didn''t make any sense, so Xu Jiaqi wasn''t afraid of this point colliding with her interests.


    -Streamer Name: [Her Majesty''s Abode]


    -You cannot change your Streamer Name afterwards. Are you sure that you want to set [Her Majesty''s Abode] as your recognized ID?


    Xu Jiaqi calmly pressed the ''Yes'' button.


    The System, who watched from the side, sighed at his Host''s antics. How can it be like this? The original soul was so pure, her dream was so innocent!


    Without caring about how the System reacted, the streaming platform began its own processes. In mere seconds, the loading screen turned black, and then showed a bright screen that encouraged Xu Jiaqi to customize her services in this platform.


    Xu Jiaqi was led to a series of detailed designing processes. The time she spent on it piled up quickly as she immersed herself in the job. Without knowing it, close to half an hour had passed before she finished all her settings.


    However, she couldn''t afford any imperfections if she wanted to seriously gain attention through using Heaven''s Court. This website was massively popular and gained more and more potential viewers day by day.


    "..Haa. How troublesome. At last, I''m finished!" Xu Jiaqi thought that it would be instant, but to think that there would be such a long customization process... She stretched her sore body. Right after, she grinned widely after seeing all of her changes be made, and her channel being set up neatly.


    The streamers'' channel standards were increasing with each second, and the competitiveness of the industry didn''t seem to have a cap. It just kept rising.


    Heaven''s Court was also a website that was open to worldwide audiences. Although most streamers were based in mainland China and only some were fluent in other foreign languages, it was clear that there was a huge pool of opportunities waiting for each streamer, only how the particular streamer wanted to make their way into success mattered.


    Thus, if she wanted to go into this business, then she should be prepared to showcase a special quality that would only be present in her as well.


    For example... spending money?


    Streamers were usually on the platform to seek money and popularity, but what if Xu Jiaqi came in and reversed the concept? Instead of begging for money from her fans, she would nonchalantly spend money like the concept of the beautiful green bills did not matter in the slightest to  her.


    She would hold her head up high and present her perfect act as a Queen, unbothered by mere peasants who criticized her willful spending.


    The fans may not feel compelled to donate to her, but why would that matter? Her personal ATM, the best automatic money maker was right by her side. It did feel a bit wrong using System''s powers like this, but it was the most convenient way in order to focus on streaming and acting.


    After some convincing and long sessions of considerations, the System also agreed to go along with the plan.


    In the end, when her true story gets discovered, she would already be popular and the mission should already be in safe hands. Then, she could just say that everything was a coping mechanism, and that she couldn''t help but use the money endlessly because there was no one to stop and care for her.


    Although the plan hasn''t been finalized for sure yet, she was going to go with it for now.


    Xu Jiaqi: System, let''s get to work!

 Chapter 187 - 4.13

    Xu Jiaqi''s enthusiasm did not carry through as good as she thought to the System.


    It was obvious, since it did seem a li~ttle too unfair for the mechanical helper.


    Spend money! Spend more and more! Where would the money come out from, you say?


    Of course, everything will have to be traced back to the System''s dutiful slavery.


    Being in the System''s position, there was no way to feel no grievances at all.


    Alas, the System did not dare to voice out complaints after seeing his Host''s hopeful eyes and sweet words that poisoned him to the core.


    Xu Jiaqi: My dearest partner, I''m counting on you! Automatic money makers are the best!


    System: Wuwuwu~! I did not sign up for this, someone please stop my Host!


    Xu Jiaqi: No can do. Now, go back to making money, we have to spend as much as we could!


    After all, there was no way that a streamer who spends money so brazenly like she was just breathing air in would not get noticed and picked up by someone. It would create a buzz, wondering just who this domineering Queen was.


    She didn''t truly aim to gain fame. The original mission had a loophole, and it was that it didn''t state how Xu Jiaqi needed to get popular. The original soul didn''t say that she needed to be loved, or that the public had to favor her in a positive light.


    If so, then what prevented her from getting famous in a bizarre way like what she was going to do? She had the cheats to do so. There was no need to act sincere or upright anymore.


    This was a matter of life and death...! What was shame in the eyes of the grim reaper?  (Dramatization).


    Either she had to do this, or she could do nothing but accept her pitiful fate and fleet into the realms of nothingness.. (Dramatization).


    Her fragile mentality would not be able to take the hate, but at the same time, it was a necessary course of action! How tragic is this sequence of events?! (Dramatization).


    All in all, the ultimate conclusion she came to was to play this online persona.


    [Her Majesty''s Abode], meaning that the entire channel was going to replicate a unique royalty theme, and the Queen above all of it.. Xu Jiaqi, would be the channel''s Host.


    The one everyone would somehow fall in love with in the future... Including a certain tycoon fan that would show up and try to take the ''King'' spot.


    But alas, that was a story meant to be discussed later on.


    Xu Jiaqi took out the twin swords and Qiyue Fan she got as rewards from the System. Holding and inspecting them, she thought that they would be able to serve her well as props for the stream. Especially the fan. It created a burst of elegance that could not be refuted.


    She opened the folds and fanned herself with the item as she started to open her stream. She had already bought a set of refined traditional clothing from the start. The total price came out to be quite the high amount, but Xu Jiaqi paid no heed to that.


    Her camera started recording, and a confident smile surfaced on her face.


    Her Majesty was coming!


    ________


    Although she said such things, there was no one who came to see her immediately. Her channel had just been created, so it wasn''t really out of her expectations that her viewer count would be low.. But she didn''t expect that there was really nobody.


    Not even a single one, even though she was so beautiful like this.


    Was there not even a single soul like her, who was a beauty lover? What about a wealth lover? Could it be, they didn''t trust her name, and didn''t think that she would be able to act out a real Queen?


    [Host, please be patient! These folks just don''t know your worth. When they learn about it.. I''m sure that they will grow to love you!]


    ''More like, they will hate me. I''m not looking for love, nor do I expect to be treated gently by my audience. All I care are my missions.. and you.'' Xu Jiaqi chuckled.


    The System felt complimented by his Host''s words, but also had a sense of relief was over him. It was because his Host didn''t mention anything about that being''s soul!


    Good for him! He was completely out of his Host''s mind. Ha! Who does he think he is, to want to linger around so badly to the point of hurting her?! Serves him right!


    Ding!


    Right then, a notification came. Xu Jiaqi recognized this sound, it was one of a new incoming chat message.


    Her eyes perked up, and she quickly went to check what it was about.


    To her surprise, it was an outrageous comment.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Hey! Little sister, do you want to have some fun with daddy?


    Big Brother is Angry!: Come satisfy me, I will ravage you until you can''t walk!


    Big Brother is Angry!: There''s no need to act so loftily, we all know that you are just another scoundrel that wants to suck money out of simps!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Fuck all of this! Fuck this world! Beauties like you must have it easy, huh? You can just sit prettily and earn without batting an eye. Do you feel good being worthless like that?!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Damn! Your clothes and fan.. Are you a cosplayer or something?! You must have spent your daddy''s money on them!


    Xu Jiaqi blinked her eyes. Once. Twice. Thrice.


    No matter how she blinked, she couldn''t make any sense about this new commenter''s arrival.


    Xu Jiaqi: ?????


    Xu Jiaqi coughed.


    "This honorable one is a royalty. Speak clearly and confess your sins, what made you spout such uncouth words like that?!" Xu Jiaqi unleashed her might.


    The viewer did not stop there, he continued to send weird threats that at the same time complimented her.


    He would praise her looks, and say that her voice was good... Behind each insult, there was somehow a compliment.


    This crude style of cursing one out...


    Pfft.

 Chapter 188 - 4.14

    Also, perhaps it was because Xu Jiaqi was too used to people cursing her?


    Instead of feeling offended by this person, she actually felt like he was quite funny with the way he was insulting her like he didn''t have an intact brain inside his head at all.


    It was humorous in a strange way that she couldn''t explain.


    "Oh, really? I am here to offer a new type of therapy to you. It''s called spending money. It''s a very effective treatment.. Considering how much glee I find in discarding these pointless wealth I have too much of." Xu Jiaqi giggled, finding the newcomer funny.


    She began to advertise her concept for the first time. This was her first viewer, commenter, and coincidentally also the first one to cuss her out in this world. She should treat them specially to commemorate the event, right?


    The new viewer wasn''t someone truly looking for a new streamer, so it seems. It''s more like they encountered some type of trouble in their life and sought to try and badmouth a streamer for their own pleasure.


    However, would Xu Jiaqi really be Xu Jiaqi if she gave into the newcomer''s temper and not do anything?


    Of course, she had to open up her first big spending, even if there was only one subject that came to visit her.


    She had to maintain her persona no matter how little her audience were. That way, the genuineness behind her internet character would be realized.


    Let Her Majesty''s name be spread to the faraway lands!


    The viewer, who had just relieved some stress from trash talking in front of this pretty streamer raised a brow. The streamer was aloof and cold. Her aura could be felt even behind the screen that he watched her with.


    In truth, Xu Jiaqi''s assumption was correct. He had just been scolded in work by his boss, and he wasn''t someone who could cope well with that type of stuff. He felt like he did well, and that his boss was just picking on him because he was clearly better than him!


    His confidence was something peculiar. Too much confidence was poisonous.


    Her fan made a crisp sound as the folds were closed up. Listening to her senseless ramble, the viewer doubted the clarity of his ears. Was it dirtied up with shit? How come there was such a confident person spouting nonsense like this?


    It was clearly a sham!


    A beauty was a beauty, but this angry big brother was not going to give her any leeway! He must trashtalk her,  or else!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Prove it! Prove it! Prove it! No proof, I''ll hire a water army to blacken you completely, this big brother will make you cry and run out of the platform!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Big brother hates liars! Little sisters like you, who can lie blatantly without batting an eye must be punished!


    Xu Jiaqi sighed as she began to question the viewer.


    "How can you not believe me? This lady is already here, in front of you, ready to spend her wealth. Young man, you cannot accuse another of lying without evidence backing it up!"


    "What do you want to see me spend on? Should I go and buy some skins in your favorite game? If you act cutely, then I will send those skins to your account in a hot minute."


    The viewer''s eyes widened. Skins! Although it was nothing but a cosmetic item in game, one would buy several skins when they rammed themselves deep into a particular game!


    This streamer was saying that she would pay all the money for his skins? He had so much to ask for! Ahh, where to start?


    Within one second, he regained his bits of sense.


    How can he be so trusting of this strange lady? Of course she was just scamming him! Hmph!


    However...


    He gulped a mouthful of saliva as she observed the woman once more. Even though.. even though it''s nothing more than an act.. Somehow, he wanted to go along with her words!


    How vicious!


    The man behind the screen tapped on his desk rhythmically, pondering over his choices. He wouldn''t suffer from any loss even if the streamer failed to fulfill her promise. He would even get the chance to badmouth her further.


    Then..


    He should just.. agree to her unwillingly, right?


    Right, right. This was all because he wanted to expose this woman''s lies. Totally not because he was stupid enough to dream about skins falling into his hands without any monetary loss like this.


    This was totally a scam, but he didn''t fall into it! Instead, he was just going to investigate and gather evidence.. Evidence on the lady''s lies!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Do it! Do it! Do it! I''ll give you five minutes, if you can''t send Aphtalia''s skin <Scarlet Rose> by the end of that period of time, I''ll definitely curse your seven generations!


    Big Brother is Angry!: In my motherland, liars have to be eradicated! Pulverized!


    Aphtalia was a character from a popular game called <Archaen''s Light>, which was developed by the same company that manufactured Heaven''s Chaos, the current website they were in.


    The particular skin that the viewer mentioned was one that costed around seven hundred dollars. It was part of the highest tier inside the game''s skins, and not many dared to buy it. It was also part of a limited edition spree, which boosted its specialness even more.


    The viewer was a big fan of Aphtalia the Angel, so when this offer came, that game character and her skin instantly flashed through his mind.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Aphtalia! Aphtalia! Aphtalia~!


    Xu Jiaqi sighed once again.


    "Young man, if you don''t give me your information, how can I use my wealth, ah?" Xu Jiaqi complained. "Your game ID, it couldn''t be the same as your current name, right?"


    "Five minutes is five minutes, I just searched up the skin you mentioned. The price tag is only seven hundred dollars! Young man, are you underestimating my prowess?! Ask for more, will you?"


    System: Hehe. You sound so confident. The money you''re spending, is it not from what I''m going to earn?


    Xu Jiaqi: Correct. You''re so smart!


    System: Host, I really want to bully you, can?


    Xu Jiaqi ignored the System as she continued on.


    The viewer thought for a few seconds and nodded. He didn''t realize that he was really starting to believe in this ''scam'' he insulted. The streamer was really convincing, ah!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Err.. Okay. I''ll send you my ID. Here it is! 0277107643


    Xu Jiaqi nodded, and looked downwards for a couple minutes. The game had been downloaded right away using the System''s perfect mechanism as they were talking. The security system that required the player to register their information was also bypassed, and Xu Jiaqi got in without any repercussions.


    She swiped here and there, and before long.. The skin was sent to the recipient''s account.


    "How is it, peasant? I let you have a taste of wealth. If you don''t even believe me after seeing the proof with your own two eyes, then I really don''t know what to say to you. You might have to go to a neurologist to check if your brain is still inside your head, ah."


    Xu Jiaqi''s words did not phase the viewer at all. He had been patiently waiting. It was quite silly, since the streamer only had one viewer, and that was him. There was a very low chance that the streamer was telling the truth, the chances were near impossible.


    However, as he refreshed his game to check his account, he actually received a notification that someone under the name of [Queen] had sent a friend request along with the skin he requested from her.


    Aphtalia was right before his eyes! She was so shining! The special cut scene made just for the skin played out, and he was blessed with the character''s beauty.


    No! He shouldn''t be paying attention to that right now! The most important thing was that the streamer didn''t lie at all! It hadn''t even been five minutes since he told her to get on the move! Three minutes hadn''t even passed, and he was already watching this sacred cutscene!


    He was distracted and torn between wanting to pay attention to the streamer and his beloved Aphtalia. He quickly dropped a follow to the streamer, but he didn''t express his gratitude just yet.


    He was too fixated with checking the credibility of his game, and that the skin was really there. Everything was not a dream?


    After a while, he finally recovered from his state of shock and hurriedly typed in words of thanks to Xu Jiaqi.


    Xu Jiaqi smiled gently. The follow notification came up minutes ago. Her first viewer had been turned into a fan for her hedonistic ways! It was quite beautiful to behold.


    Xu Jiaqi ended the stream quickly after saying some words. The viewer did not dare prolong his visit and bade his farewells before going on to play the game and use the skin!

 Chapter 189 - 4.15

    The next day, when he opened his eyes to check the stream once more, yesterday''s stream wasn''t even saved. There was a strange aura of anonymity around the channel.


    It was as if the streamer was a mystical being whose sole purpose was to drop some money for mortals like him.


    Damn! Who would do such a thing?! Even if she was looking for fame and clout, shouldn''t she let the stream be saved as a video? What good would there be if she just erased the record?? He didn''t even save last night''s stream!


    Biting his thumbnail, he thought about his situation and how weird it actually was. He had repeatedly checked his game records, and there was clearly a gift notification present in his mailbox.


    When he checked the account that sent him the skin, going by the name [Queen], he was surprised to see that it had actually just been created. Looking at the time carefully.. This?!!


    The creation time was one minute after he had voiced out his wish to obtain Aphtalia''s skin! How can this make sense?! <Archaen''s Light> was a game that took up at least fifteen gigabytes of memory.


    Unless she knew what he wanted to wish for before he even voiced it out.. How could she have downloaded this game and created an account in just one minute?!!


    ...


    There can only be one answer to this problem.


    The streamer. Was. A. Goddess!!


    He shouted with all his might, regretting how he acted towards the lady last night. It was Saturday, and his neighbors were all asleep. He was just a college student who worked in an internship position, waiting to graduate and go out to the real world at once.


    His living quarters did not provide him with good soundproofing qualities. In particular, the ones right beside his room heard his deafening shout and was furious after being woken up from their sleep.


    "Feng Qin, do you want to die??! What time do you think this is?!" A very, very enraged neighbor ended up making a trip over to his room. The neighbor in question was the viewer''s friend.


    The viewer, whose name was Feng Qin, stood up from his desk and opened the door to apologize profusely to his neighbor. After some appeasement, the neighbor also grew tired of scolding him and went back to his room to sleep.


    Feng Qin shut the door behind him as he heaved a long sigh.


    "Fuck, he didn''t need to yell into my ears like that! Isn''t he just doing the same thing as me?! His voice was loud as hell!!" Feng Qin did not have the sweetest mouth ever.


    He felt like one or two profanities inserted into everything he had to say would be excellent. As a result of this habit, he got in a lot of trouble since he couldn''t control his cursing mechanism at certain times.


    However, his frustration was soon erased as he recalled the Goddess once again. He went on the internet to search on who the Goddess might be. Like a confused little chick, he entered strange keywords like ''Queen'', ''Streamer'', ''Her Majesty'', ''Rich'', ''Beauty'', and all that.


    If they were searched one by one, then it would''ve have been a problem, but when he mixed and matched the words together.. the content that came out was completely the opposite of what Feng Qin wanted to look up.


    The Goddess'' background. Who could she be?


    Was he a chosen one for coming to that stream? The Goddess was so magical and great!


    He took a shower early in the morning to try and post his documentation about this incident. Considering that it was the weekend, it was quite the anomaly that he decided to bath this early. He was very spirited due to the gift.


    After freshening up, he went back to his computer and began typing his experience with the channel [Her Majesty''s Abode]. He started up a thread in <Archaen''s Light>''s community website and copied the information he wrote about the Goddess into the thread question.


    Feeling like it was not enough, he typed in more into a comment post.


    #001 Big Brother is Angry!:


    Brothers, I am no longer angry. I have been blessed.


    Under the thread''s first post, he attached a picture of his game screen. Aphtalia was shining brightly in it, with her characteristic smug smile and angelic beauty.


    #002 Butters Don''t Fly:


    Woah! Brother, you bought the skin? Congratulations, I hate you! Aphtalia''s simps are scary! Seven hundred dollars for some pixels in game.... I want to say ''kids these days'', but I''m way younger than you lol


    #003 Daddy Doesn''t Know Karate:


    Hmmmmm? Brother, did you purchase it while you were drunk? You sure you can pay next month''s rent? Do you want me to ship some instant noodles to your home so you don''t starve? Will you turn off your AC even though it''s summer time?


    #004 Big Brother is Angry!:


    The thing is, I didn''t buy this skin! A streamer bought it for me! At first, I was skeptical, but she''s the real deallll! I''m so happy lmao ^^                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          The second and third poster, who read Feng Qin''s answer was silent for a minute before they audibly cursed at him.


    #005 Daddy Doesn''t Know Karate:


    You think we are dumb? Seven hundred dollars is enough for two months'' worth of food! Even more if you decide to be thrifty! That''s the bill for a five star meal! Which streamer would give that kind of thing to you?! Do you want me to slap you with some karate?!


    #006 Wuxia Lord:


    Eyyy,,,, wait, upstairs, your name says you don''t know karate!


    #007 Daddy Doesn''t Know Karate:


    Haaa?? Come again, what did you say? Daddy doesn''t fucking know karate lololol


    Watch your back, Wuxia!


    #008 Butters Don''t Fly:


    The image wasn''t forged lolol. I checked his account, it''s real. It also says that the skin was gifted. This kind of feature, it''s clear that Archaen''s developers didn''t want fake oil tycoons to show off :D


    You can''t even lie and say you bought the skin lol


    Feng Qin bit his lips.

 Chapter 190 - 4.16

    Feeling like he was being made fun of, Feng Qin continued to type words into a comment.


    #009 Big Brother is Angry!:


    Damn, would I lie? I''ll shower with some hot, scorching coffee if I said a lie in anything I wrote about the streamer!! She''s the real deal, I tell you!


    The other three commenters who originally came here after seeing Aphtalia''s skin and wondering which rich kid bought it this time didn''t buy Feng Qin''s story and kept trolling around, making Feng Qin irritated at how they didn''t believe him in the slightest.


    After a lot of back and forth, Feng Qin was still unable to convince them.


    ....


    #020 Big Brother is Angry!:


    It''s true! It''s completely true! I was also shocked, for God''s sake! Who on Earth would buy Aphtalia''s skin for another person? Seven hundred dollars! Damn! You guys are too skeptical! You''re just jealous that you didn''t enter the stream with me that day! Rich beauties are the best!!


    #021 Emperor Wants to Rest:


    Eiiii, bro, you don''t need to lie for that type of streamer! I just checked her out. She doesn''t have any fucking content in her channel! Which type of person gives away seven hundred dollars for their first stream? For you to say all those stuff just to attract us to her place.. she must be a real beauty lolol. You emphasized so much on her beauty and aura


    #022 Daddy Doesn''t Know Karate:


    Brother Emperor is right, ah! I never imagined that you would be a sucker for beauty, but honestly.. Who isn''t? After how much you praised her beauty.. I''m considering coming there when she streams again. Aiya, why didn''t she save last night'' stream? Don''t tell me, it''s deleted because you two planned this fraudulent post?


    #023 Big Brother is Angry!:


    Fuck you, Emperor and Karate fuckers! I told you that it''s all real! Do you seriously think that I would spend seven hundred dollars for the skin upfront?! You''re joking, joking, joking, joking! That woman is not a scam! She asked for my information, I gave it to her, then the skin was in my game account after five minutes! Fuck! My hands are still trembling from joy whenever I think about it!! Aphtalia came home! I''m going to brag about this skin to everyone I meet!


    #024 Butters Don''t Fly:


    Honestly, I''m a bit confused too, but somehow I feel like Brother Angry isn''t lying (?)


    I''ll just follow the streamer for now and see how it is the next time she comes online lolol.


    I''ll report back to you guys once I get the info


    #025 Emperor Wants to Rest:


    Butters, I think you''re too easy to convince. Come with this Emperor to play some Archaen, I want to raid a boss but my guild members aren''t online.


    #026 Butters Don''t Fly:


    Come to think of it, isn''t Brother Angry not in any guild? He also doesn''t really know a lot of people and only came into the game to simp lolol


    Where did he get an acquaintance willing to spend seven hundred on him?


    #027 Emperor Wants to Rest:


    Must be a giveaway or something lololol


    The person behind [Butters Don''t Fly] was considering typing some more rebuttals since he felt like this whole situation was a bit weird. Feng Qin''s enthusiasm was way too much for it to be a scam. Even through his writing, he could tell that the man was genuine.


    Still, the story was unbelievable.


    He sighed and thought that everything should be solved as long as the streamer comes back online and he checks her out to see if Feng Qin was telling the truth.


    His stomach churned, and he stood up to grab some food.


    When he went downstairs, he passed by a man who was scrolling through his tablet with dead tired eyes. Black shadows appeared below his eye sockets, and a tight frown was constantly present.


    "Older brother, did you manage to get any sleep at all last night? Your eyes look so painful."


    "Tang Yixiu, it''s nothing. Why are you up so early anyway?" The man squinted his eye and looked at his sibling. Although he didn''t mean to be hostile, his exhausted gaze looked quite intimidating.


    "Oh.. I was.. about to go out for a bit. Staying in my room all the time is a bit tiring." Tang Yixiu felt a bit awkward after receiving the look from his brother and shifted his gaze away.


    "..Is that so? Then go." The other party clearly noticed Tang Yixiu''s discomfort and wanted to say more, but his blaring headache made it impossible for him to continue on with the conversation any longer.


    Tang Yixiu pursed his lips tightly as he stood in his position, unmoving.


    His brother''s condition was worsening day by day. It was not known why or how it started, nor could they find a solution to it and put it to an end.


    His older brother''s name was Tang Yizhou, and he was normally not like this. It was only a month ago that his strange ailment started. He would not be able to fall asleep, and would enter long phases of blanking out and daydreaming out of nowhere.


    As the president of the Ecinos Corporation, which was a large technology entity that was behind both Archaen''s Light and Heaven''s Chaos, this condition was extremely severe.


    It caused a lot of stress to the man in question, and also worried the ones working under him. If this stretches out any longer.. wouldn''t his brother be threatened? What if he was no longer able to work?


    Tang Yixiu was saddened by this because his older brother, albeit strict, was very caring to him. Both of their parents had passed away, so his older brother was the only one he could depend on. He admired Tang Yizhou, who had so much grit and perseverance that he could take care of him and build Ecinos to where it was right now. A tech giant.


    He didn''t want his brother to be harmed, but he couldn''t find a cure or something to lighten up his condition at all. It was vexing.

 Chapter 191 - 4.17

    Huffing, he went out in a hurry to escape the pressing atmosphere in disappointment over his powerless self.


    Their home used to be quite lively. They would have meals together, and his older brother would always find time in his busy schedule to be with him.


    It felt painful to see him in his current state. So drained and out of any liveliness. Every time Tang Yixiu saw him, he would always be reminded of the past.


    He wanted to restore their state back to when Tang Yizhou''s ailment never existed, but it seemed so impossible. Not even the greatest doctors could tell what was wrong with him.


    Who else could help them?


    As Tang Yixiu exited the house, Tang Yizhou, still sitting by the coffee table, dropped his tablet harshly and let out a long, depressed sigh. Everything.. Everything going on was killing him, eating his whole being from the inside.


    Even talking to his once beloved younger sibling made him want to burst out in anger. In the end, he opted out to act coldly so that Tang Yixiu would not want to talk to him, but that boy was soft and caring.


    No matter how harsh he acted on him, Tang Yixiu would always come back and worry for his bastard self.


    "When will all of this end.." Tang Yizhou banged his fist on the table, tears almost escaping the corners of his eyes at how miserable he was.


    ______


    In the afternoon, the bright and hot sunlight pierced through everybody''s homes and made it insufferable for those who did not have a good heat tolerance.


    Today, Feng Qin''s apartment felt like it was going to burst into flames any time soon. He didn''t want to use the AC because the bills were heavy to carry. Instead, he had a broken fan which continued to produce an annoyingly loud sound as it whirred around and made some air, which wasn''t even that cold considering the overpowering heat that the fan had as an enemy.


    He lazed around, drinking cola and dining on some droopy fries when a notification rang from the website he was overly familiar with.


    Heaven''s Chaos had sent him a notification pop up. It said that the channel he just followed yesterday, namely [Her Majesty''s Abode] had gone online and was preparing to stream in five minutes.


    His heart almost jumped out of his chest. The Goddess was going to descend back to the mortal world!


    He hurriedly clicked on the correct buttons and sat patiently as the countdown on her stream begun. His fingers were full of enthusiasm, and his mind riddled with so many questions that he was going to ask the streamer right away as soon as she showed up.


    He was still filled with amazement when he thought of what happened yesterday. How could the Goddess be so generous with her wealth?


    By the time the countdown timer hit zero, Xu Jiaqi had already been in position, waiting for her camera to once again reveal her face to the world. She had a sly smile plastered on her face as she checked the list of people present in the stream.


    Big Brother is Angry!


    That signature username that made her want to cackle was present.


    "Hn? I see that there is already one viewer who waited faithfully for me.. This username, I recognize it, ah!" Xu Jiaqi chuckled, her microphone picking up the pristine voice that sounded like heavenly bells to Feng Qin.


    Feng QIn began to unleash his typing spirit, voicing out his thoughts fervently.


    Big Brother is Angry!: I finally caught you, Your Majesty! Yesterday''s gift was so good that I ended up coming back here again!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Your Majesty, I bow down to your wealth! I hope you find it within yourself to forgive me, ehehe... I don''t know what kind of lapse I had last night, to the point where I was.. you know.. yeah.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Though, I wonder why you don''t save your streams as videos? I wanted to share the video with my brothers, but it wasn''t there. I''m your only follower, so there''s no proof that the entire thing happened except for my in game notification. They thought that I was joking no matter how hard I tried to spread your light! Goddess! I bow before those who give me a chance to get [Scarlet Rose]!! Bow to the Queen!


    The viewer''s attitude changed completely. It was quite a funny sight to behold.


    "Hmmm.. What do you think?" Xu Jiaqi smirked. "If I let you know my identity, if I''m not this secretive, then where would the fun be?" Responding like that, she opened up her Qiyue fan and hid her face behind the object, trying to pose gracefully.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Your Majesty, you have so much potential to soar in the rankings! But.. sending a gift like what you gave to me yesterday was not the best strategy ever!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Queen, shall I help you?


    "I don''t think I necessarily need fame, do I? I just need to know that I am the best person in the entire world. I''m just here to spend money.. And have viewers like you entertain me." Xu Jiaqi said.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Ao, how could that be? The roles are completely reversed lolol


    Big Brother is Angry!: Your Majesty, it should be the opposite! You entertain the viewers and money gets sent by oil tycoons all over the world!


    "I don''t need those types of petty money. Also, I can see in my streamer data that you''re not the only follower anymore. Another person has joined our community, their name is.. [Butters Don''t Fly]." Xu Jiaqi commented, correcting Feng Qin''s previous words that said he was the only follower she had.


    Big Brother is Angry!: What?! Truly Butters Don''t Fly?! You didn''t see wrong? That guy followed you?! Queen, he is one of the few people who saw my post bragging about you!

 Chapter 192 - 4.18

    "Is he your acquaintance?" Xu Jiaqi was intrigued.


    Big Brother is Angry!: I wouldn''t say so, but I have spoken to him a couple times. Both of us are frequent visitors of Archaen''s Light''s community platform, so we have talked a bit there.


    Xu Jiaqi pursed her lips as she thought. "I see... Well, today''s stream doesn''t have a topic yet. What do you want me to do? Spend more money?"


    Big Brother is Angry!: Well.. if you could get me another skin... I would be eternally grateful!


    Big Brother is Angry!: If you do so, then I will lead you to play Archaen''s Light if you want! I''m a pretty high ranker, and I could definitely bring you to places. You say it, I''ll take you there!!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Trust this big brother!


    "..Are you sure you don''t want me to pay your water bills instead?" Xu Jiaqi laughed heartily. She had the System check Feng Qin''s identity right after he got off work to rest. In order words, not only did Xu Jiaqi make him do unorthodox tasks as a System, she also made him work overtime.


    System, who was devastated after his first day of earning money through rigging the system wanted to rebel but didn''t have the bravery for it.


    As such, the current Xu Jiaqi was aware of Feng Qin''s situation, and how he was a bit tight on the budget as a struggling college student.


    This man, how could he forsake everything else just for a game? How obsessed was he in it that he actually dared to choose skins over bills? Seven hundred dollars was a small sum to Xu Jiaqi''s standards, but she was aware of the conditions of the entire world and the regular standards of living, especially in Feng Qin''s case.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Ah.. That.. That''s right! My bills!! Bills.. Need to be paid.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Your Majesty, you mentioning that, does it mean that you''re actually willing to help me pay some bills?


    Big Brother is Angry!: My God, I''m sitting here, rotting in a puddle of my own sweat! My fan doesn''t spew out cold wind, it spews out some disgusting lukewarm gusts of air!


    Big Brother is Angry!: If not for me worrying about the bills.. I would have three ACs set up all around the room just to freeze me!


    Big Brother is Angry!: At this point, freezing up would be better


    Butters Don''t Fly: Brother, don''t be unreasonable! Have some dignity!


    Butters Don''t Fly: Shame is a good thing to have.


    Xu Jiaqi perked up. Her second follower finally showed up out of nowhere. Their first comment was.. scolding her first follower!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Psh! What is dignity in face of a life and death matter! No money for the water bill means that I can''t clean my ass after I shit! I live to shit on the toilet and on people, how can I bear not paying the water bill?!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Ah! Wait, that''s not it! Butters, why the hell have you come here?! Are you trying to steal my Queen from me?? You must defeat me before that kind of thing happens! Don''t expect me to just sit still and watch you snatch a skin from me!


    Big Brother is Angry!: If you want a dirty confrontation, a dirty confrontation is what you will get!


    Butters Don''t Fly: Outrageous.. What are you saying, you crude villain!


    Butters Don''t Fly: A confrontation for skins? Are you even sure that the streamer will give you another skin? Isn''t it just because she wanted to buy you out and make you stay here forever? Or perhaps you threatened her.


    Butters Don''t Fly: I won''t compete with you, I don''t need the skins. I believe in my skill.


    Xu Jiaqi watched the two interact with a smile, not saying anything in the meantime.


    This Butters Don''t Fly guy.. She had no idea who he was, but by the sound of it, he did seem a lot more reasonable than Feng Qin.


    "New viewer, welcome to my abode. This one wonders why you came here? I''ve already heard about the post Angry Brother made, but what was it that interested you? Do you also want a skin?" Xu Jiaqi questioned, finally breaking into the conversation.


    If it was the latter, then she wouldn''t have minded it either, but she would be a bit disappointed. Somehow, out of nowhere, she had a feeling that this guy was different. Her sense of judgement towards people who she have never even met was godly compared to everyone else by a mile.


    She hoped that her guesses wouldn''t be wrong.


    Butters Don''t Fly: I just wanted to check if my brother was lied to. Brother Angry is a bit dumb and foolish, I thought that he got scammed while he was overloaded with anger.


    Butters Don''t Fly: In the post, he said that he had cursed you out like an animal.


    Butters Don''t Fly: Are you not offended?


    "Why would I? I know that I am not an animal or anything of that sort. Why should I care about what he says if I know the truth?" Xu Jiaqi tilted her head, as if the other party just uttered something strange. "The one who says others are animals are very likely to be animals themselves, they just want to recruit other people into their animal kingdom. I won''t join, though, Brother Angry!"


    Xu Jiaqi was in a good mood, so she teased her first viewer, who she came to know as Feng Qin.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Hey!! Why are you two dissing me like that? I was just having a very very bad day! I won''t be like that anymore!


    Butters Don''t Fly: I doubt it. Last time we got into the same party, your mouth was so vile, and I couldn''t even see the others'' chats because you were spamming the entire party line.


    The two continued to bicker, whereas Xu Jiaqi just sat and watched the chaos unfold.


    After a few rounds of watching, she finally began to prepare for the plans of her second stream.

 Chapter 193 - 4.19

    "Now, now, you two, do you want to see something interesting? There''s no way that you two will just stay here without me doing anything, right?" Xu Jiaqi mediated the two''s exchange.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Oh? Streamer Goddess is going to throw money again?


    "This time is a bit special. To celebrate my arrival I thought that maybe I should showcase some of my talents? Just for you two, it''s going to be a special show." Xu Jiaqi smiled.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Ohh! That sounds interesting!


    Big Brother is Angry!: What is it about? Hurry and tell!


    "I''m going to play some music."


    Big Brother is Angry!: The Goddess can play music too? Too Godly! This is unfair! The world is unfair, God is unfair for not distributing talents equally!


    Big Brother is Angry!: I know I am handsome, so my talents have been affected majorly by that. Balance is key! But Goddess knows no balance, she is simply too perfect!


    Butters Don''t Fly: You talk too much.. Goddess, what is it that you are going to play?


    After talking for a while, Butters actually began to call Xu Jiaqi the Goddess too. Her original character was meant to be a Queen, but there was not much of a difference even if her people caleld her a Goddess.


    "Haa.. It''s a violin. You see, it''s been a long time since I touched any musical instrument at all.. Because of some matters. To be precise, I got into streaming because I wanted to feel the stage without actually being on it just yet." Xu Jiaqi took out her violin.


    After thinking for some time, she decided to do this for specific reasons.


    First, these two were acquaintances. They also didn''t seem to particularly be bad people. Feng Qin was a little crude with his words, but small details could be excused.


    The problem was Butters. This other viewer of her, who came to see her because he was the type of person that only believed what he saw with his own two eyes. He came here because Feng Qin boasted about her.


    Then, in order to grip Butters tightly within her fingers, she should offer up some bait.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Violin sounds fancy lololol


    Big Brother is Angry!: It suits you very well, Queen Goddess! Very high class!


    Butters Don''t Fly: I''m looking forward to it, jiayou!


    "Mn, I might play a bit bad. It''s.. been a long time." Xu Jiaqi let out a nervous sigh, angling the violin gently against the crook of her neck, laying down her chin on the resting area. She tightened her bow and tuned the violin properly before taking one last deep breath.


    Then, she began to play a piece that she was familiar with. It was one that she took a liking to when the System showed its repertoire, and she had properly mastered it in case she needed it in the future. Lo and behold, it really was needed in this world.


    Her playing style differed by a lot from the original owner, but due to staying in her body, her style was somewhat influenced little by little. It threw her off slightly, but she let herself fall into the complex rhythms and lost herself in the melodies.


    Her bow strokes were like water as she changed her technique, jumping from one hard part to another. She poured her entire soul into it, and expressed her feeling towards the music that responded to her in rich tones that were heard by the viewers.


    Feng Qin and Tang Yixiu, albeit not knowing how to play the violin, were able to sense the depth of the performance. Hearing Xu Jiaqi play, it was like she was about to let out tears. Like she had a mountain pile of suffering and sadness pressing her down, and yet she continued to play the music even if it meant her body would bleed with every move she took, every sound she made, and every energy she spent.


    The performance was short, but memorable. It didn''t last longer than three minutes. And yet, the legendary instance was already recorded vividly inside the viewers'' minds.


    Big Brother is Angry!: My goodness! Your Majesty, I was completely mesmerized!


    Big Brother is Angry!: I am a fool who knows nothing about classical music or all that, but it sounded very fancy, you''re beautiful, the sound is perfect, much love to you!


    Big Brother is Angry!: My ears were totally blessed! It got cleaned from inside out! The moans of the.. Uh, content I watched last night doesn''t compare at all to this performance!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Goddess, you wanted to fool us when you said that you might play a bit bad, right? For this type of skill to be played so casually.. Goddess, what level of mastery are you on?


    Big Brother is Angry!: Encore! Encore! Encore!


    Butters Don''t Fly: Goddess, it was excellent! I bow to your skill!


    "Are you sure you are not just saying that because you want to please me?" Xu Jiaqi chuckled. "It''s not too grand compared to what I used to do. In fact, I am a little bit disappointed that.. I can probably only play this one piece tonight."


    Big Brother is Angry!: Ao? Why is that?


    "..I''m in the process of recovering. If one day, I fully recover, then I will make sure that I will play in front of you until you get sick of my playing. For now.... There''s no way to continue. Spending money makes me feel a lot better than this!" Xu Jiaqi complained, placing her violin aside and massaging her shoulders with a grim face.


    Although it didn''t show up in camera, her limbs were trembling all over the place. She gritted her teeth, trying to keep her composure as much as possible, but it was so horrendous to be in this place. This body rejected the concept of playing the violin in itself.


    It was no longer just a matter of remembering the past. It was much more deeper and scarring.

 Chapter 194 - 4.20

    The current Xu Jiaqi had never experienced the actual torture of that day, but this body had already gotten so accustomed and in line with the events of those days that it automatically tries to push it away.


    If this was the case, then actually trying to take steps back into the music world might require some extensive efforts. Just brute force wouldn''t solve it. It would mean nothing. Even if she tried to force herself and play the instruments, there was no way that she wouldn''t falter and break down one day.


    Before that could happen.. She wanted to look for a way to actually resolve the issue and not just play silly and act as if nothing was wrong.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Goddess, you look like a ghost is chasing you down


    Big Brother is Angry!: I''m sorry for wanting an encore.. It''s completely up to you!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Ah, right. Spending money, Goddess! Spend money and you will feel better, right? Let''s spend some money! Treat brother Butters today!


    Butters Don''t Fly: What?? Why me? Also, you''re so insensitive.


    Big Brother is Angry!: I had my fill yesterday! I''m an avid believer of equality, so we shall spread the wealth!


    "Finally, it has returned to this topic. Now.. How do you two think we should spend proudly upon? Do you guys have some brilliant ideas we could take a look at?" Xu Jiaqi was very professional as she kept her confident smile even in the midst of coping with her body''s rejection effects.


    Big Brother is Angry!: What about.. Ah, how about this, Goddess? Let''s play Archaen''s Light! I''ve been meaning to ask you this, heheheh


    "Hmm... Shall we?" Xu Jiaqi tilted her head, opening up the interface of the game. The creator of it, Ecinos Corporation''s name, was displayed on the front screen. It was the same logo she had seen be advertised on Heaven''s Chaos'' website before.


    BIg Brother is Angry!: We totally should! I will present Aphtalia''s skin in front of you lololol


    BIg Brother is Angry!: Butters, you should join too! The three of us can grovel in front of the Goddess and let her use us as she smurfs through the game!


    BIg Brother is Angry!: I''m sure that Your Majesty will be a genius in games as well lolol


    Butters Don''t Fly: Hey, don''t just suddenly include me in this!


    Butters Don''t Fly: Although, joining doesn''t sound too bad. I''m free, so we can play if the streamer wants it. What do you think?


    "We should try it out, but this is going to be the first time I am going to touch the game at all. Bear with me if I''m a bit less skillful.. I doubt that such a thing would happen, though. If even Brother Angry could excel in this game, then I should be able to breeze through it easily, right?" Xu Jiaqi teased.


    BIg Brother is Angry!: Hey, hey, hey!! What''s with the sudden jab from behind? That''s unfair!! Totally unfair!


    Butters Don''t Fly: I.. actually agree with that! Dear lord, if even Brother Angry could play, who can''t?


    ______


    The three ended up logging in and forming a party inside the game. They discussed what boss should they beat down all while the stream was running.


    Also, they decided to all get on a call to further better their communications. It was their first time hearing each other''s voices, so it was a novel experience. Feng Qin and Tang Yixiu were acquaintances, but they haven''t done this type of thing yet.


    At first, it was awkward, but they quickly warmed up against each other once they interacted enough. They decided on a boss that could be entered by people regardless of their levels to accommodate for Xu Jiaqi.


    "Alright, let''s go beat this guy up!" Feng Qin was fired up. He was the party leader for various reasons, so he pressed the start button with enthusiasm and entered all three of them into the loading screen, where they were each given a token to challenge the boss.


    Feng Qin was actually under the impression that since this was the first time Xu Jiaqi would be playing, she wouldn''t bade too well and would die a couple times, so he prepared a ton of resurrection items and packed it inside his bag.


    The game loaded, and the fight began with each of their characters spewing out attacks at the boss.


    Contrary to Feng Qin''s anticipation, Xu Jiaqi was doing extremely well. Her reflexes and reaction time, even by just simply looking at how she was moving using a low level character, made it impossible to hide her pure skill that shone through the battle.


    They brought down the boss'' health to almost half, and had a lot of fun conversing with each other. Feng Qin kept on cursing as he narrowly dodged the boss'' skills, Xu Jiaqi treated the boss as a training dummy to test out her skills and dodge well, whereas Tang Yixiu had a wide smile on his face as he hacked the boss and lowered his health bar, chopping at it incessantly.


    Suddenly, there was a knock at his door.


    "Tang Yixiu, you are having so much fun. What are you watching?" Tang Yizhou felt extremely bad at how he acted towards his younger brother, so he sought the other party out. When he stood in front of the younger''s room, he could hear mixed voices of three people since Tang Yixiu hadn''t worn headphones to isolate the voices.


    Tang Yixiu''s voice seemed to contain so much joy that he wanted to see for himself what the cause was.


    "..Brother? Ah, please do enter!" Tang Yixiu was playing an important role in the team, he was the main damage dealer. Feng Qin decided to play the healer because he was prepared to assist Xu Jiaqi, so his damage wouldn''t be that great. Whereas Xu Jiaqi was a controller character, and her skills served to hinder the enemy from fighting back.


    Tang Yixiu being distracted would cost them severe changes for sure.


    However, in face of his brother, how could he not stop midway and pay attention to the other party?

 Chapter 195 - 4.21

    Tang Yizhou entered, and his eyes were immediately set on the source of Tang Yixiu''s entertainment. It should be mentioned that Tang Yixiu was provided with the highest quality of setup when it came to his living equipment. There were two external monitors connected to his main one, where his game was displayed. The other two monitors, the first one opened Xu Jiaqi''s stream, and the other displayed his work flow.


    "Ah? Butters, why did you call me in such a weird way? Hurry, come and beat this fellow up! I''m about to be burnt to a crisp by this disgusting frog!" Feng Qin''s voice resounded out loud through Tang Yixiu''s speakers and as a result, was heard by Tang Yizhou. He thought that Tang Yixiu was trying to address him by using the term ''brother'', not knowing that there was another person in the room right now.


    Tang Yizhou was a bit baffled, and Feng Qin''s loud voice also caused his headache symptoms to spike a bit, making him take in a sharp breath. However, he shrugged it off and kept his focus on the other monitor that strangely drew his eyes in. It was the one displaying Xu Jiaqi''s stream.


    She had her face cam covering a large part on the bottom half, whereas her game occupied most of the entire screen. Without needing it to be magnified any further, Tang Yizhou frowned as he examined her. Her appearance looked so awfully familiar, especially with the way she was donned in those intricate red clothes that mirrored her stream ID, a Queen..


    "Wait! I need to mute myself for a bit. I''ll.. come back in a bit, alright? You two, I hope you guys survive! Godspeed!" Tang Yixiu hurriedly got off his seat and stood up.


    As he did not turn off the game yet, only relieving his character''s control, the communication sounds were still transmitted perfectly. His teammates'' words would be relayed on to his brother.


    "Ao, did Butters'' brother come to scold him? It''s a shame!" Xu Jiaqi laughed. "Brother Angry, are you confident that we can win without Butters'' assistance?"


    "Eiii! That''s a given! Butters is.. He''s the weakest out of us three, alright? Goddess, you just need to follow my lead! Just look at this! Haa!" Feng Qin shouted. With his shout, he initiated his ultimate skill, bringing down the signature circle of holy light from Aphtalia''s spectre.


    The boss'' health points chipped away, but it was nowhere near inflicting serious damages.


    "How''s that!!" Feng Qin was too engrossed in the game, whereas Xu Jiaqi was conscious of Butters'' disappearance and decided to voice it out.


    "Butters, are you still there? If you don''t join back in, you might be marked as AFK and penalized by the system, right?" Xu Jiaqi did get to enjoy the game even though this was her first time playing, so she flew around the boss like an annoying fly as Feng Qin continued to use his support character to cause light harm to the boss.


    "Don''t mind him, Goddess! He deserves it! He brought it upon himself, right?" Feng Qin continued to hurl strange words and shouts as he continued to deal damage.


    Tang Yizhou felt like a spring breeze hit him when Xu Jiaqi talked and voiced concern over his brother''s disappearance, and when Feng Qin talked.. No need to mention it, just the grim expression on his face said it all. It was like the Goddess of Spring was mercilessly killed and left with no chance to recover.


    "Tang Yixiu, who are they?" Tang Yizhou questioned. Although it was not within his intentions to sound like he was interrogating his sibling, it did come off that way.


    "..They are my online friends. They''re not bad people, and I am just playing a game with them. What''s the matter, older brother?" Tang Yixiu responded, swallowing a mouthful of saliva. His nerves were being tested right now.


    He didn''t know why, but Tang Yizhou''s expression was looking particularly dangerous. It was like hatred emanated from his entire body. A hostile evil spirit looming behind him at all times, staring down at him.


    Was these emotions directed at him? Thinking that it might really be so, he feared for his life and questioned why his brother would have such intense thoughts.


    "..I see. Then, they wouldn''t mind if I took your position for a little bit, right? I''m slightly curious." Tang Yizhou stepped inside the room and stood beside Tang Yixiu, waiting for him to give up the seat and let him play too.


    "B-brother! They''re really not suspicious people, alright? Please don''t do anything bad to them, I would hate it!" Tang Yixiu knew that if these people offended him in any sort of way, then they wouldn''t have a good ending attached to their name. He prayed internally for their fates.


    He assumed that the Queen would know what to do, but Brother Angry was.. a bit problematic. For Tang Yizhou''s tastes... It wouldn''t fare well.


    "I know. I just want to play. Or are you doubting my skills, when I am the creator of this game?" Tang Yizhou chided. "I won''t do anything.. just yet."


    Tang Yixiu was rendered helpless, and he slapped his palm on top of his forehead, trying to convince himself that all of this was nothing but a fever dream that he fully wished to end.


    "Hello there." Tang Yizhou spoke into Tang Yixiu''s microphone. His low voice, which was husky and carried a magnetic effect entered the other two teammates'' ears through the call.


    "Butters? That can''t be you, right?" Feng Qin was confused at the sudden drastic change.


    Tang Yizhou''s eyes diverted to the second monitor, trying to look at how Xu Jiaqi reacted to his arrival.


    "Butters, is that your brother? Ah, wait, you might not be here at all by now. If it''s your older brother, then hello." Xu Jiaqi calmly responded. She was better at drawing a conclusion, and immediately assumed that the newcomer must be Butters'' sibling that cut him out of the game.


    "Yes, I am his sibling.. It''s nice to meet you." Tang Yizhou replied. Without realizing, his tone was becoming gentler when he talked to this woman. His eyes watched her patiently as she focused on her game, not minding his sudden entrance at all.


    "Old Butters, you are our damage dealer, so we should hurry up and clear this boss before it enters overtime!" Feng Qin interrupted the flow of the conversation and sent ping notifications for Tang Yizhou, signalling that he should start making moves.


    He even referred to Tang Yizhou as ''Old Butters''. Tang Yixiu, who was standing by the side and praying with all his might that nothing would go wrong when his brother was here, felt like his legs turned into jelly at Feng Qin''s rudeness.


    President Tang dealt with professional people all day long, and his standards when meeting people were arguably very high. Feng Qin''s way of acting, how would the cold and rigid president react to it?


    Tang Yizhou was reasonably irked, but he did not comment on the matter. With his skillful fingers, he moved up close to the boss and landed one heavy hit. Compared to Tang Yixiu, he was much better at controlling the character and maximizing their efficiency. Tang Yixiu was originally already a great player, but the older Tang brother made the younger seem lackluster when the gameplays were compared.


    Within less than a minute, the boss'' health bar was brought to nothing more than just a sliver of hope for the pathetic frog. Tang Yizhou delivered the last blow cleanly, slicing off the frog''s head with his claymore, drawing a rich fountain of blood from the incision he made.


    He knew his game the best, and the graphics and realism was extremely polished. When they said physics would be there, they meant it. The spurting blood hit all three of them and covered them in disgusting goo. Luckily, one of Aphtalia''s skills was [Cleanse], and Feng Qin diligently did his duty of cleaning as he screamed in a high-pitched voice crying that his beloved wife was being stained by this horrendous liquid.


    After they got off and returned to the real realm, Feng Qin couldn''t hold back his favor towards Tang Yizhou.


    "Woah! Old Butters, you are actually  very good! Genius! I thought that you were definitely going to make us lose when you suddenly zoned out, but turns out you were just waiting for the boss'' morph delay?! Fuck! I admire you!"


    Tang Yizhou''s timing was indeed something to be respected.


    However, our good President Tang''s desire was not to receive the praise of a Feng Qin, but rather his other teammate.


    "Mhm, you did great. Butters, are you still there? Your brother is better than you, you better catch up to him!" Xu Jiaqi chuckled.


    "It''s a pleasure to play with you two. I''ll return the control back to my little brother." Tang Yizhou was satisfied and bade his farewells. "If fate wills for it, then let us play together one more time."

 Chapter 196 - 4.22

    The esteemed President Tang came and left like a storm, his momentum fast and furious.


    Xu Jiaqi was not bothered by it at all, but she was still a bit confused.


    ''Why do I feel like.. Hm, I must be overthinking all of it.. right?''


    Tang Yixiu quickly returned to the frontlines, apologizing for his absence and explaining that his brother had quite a peculiar case and he just didn''t want to upset the other party.


    Of course, the party did not voice out any discomfort at all because they were genuine extroverts that had no problem with a new person mingling with them out of nowhere. In fact, they praised Tang Yizhou for his skills and appreciated him although his actions could''ve been seen as distasteful to some.


    After that, things returned back to normal and they continued their journey in gaming.. Xu Jiaqi was helped to soar through the levels, to the point that her level was already in the fourties by the end of the stream.


    ______


    "Ah.. Really.. I had fun today!! I didn''t expect the Goddess to be so good! Are you sure that you are a beginner and not some pro player that decided to use a smurf account to shit on all of us?" Feng Qin stretched his sore body after all the rounds of gaming.


    "Mhm. Why would I lie about that? If I am truly skillful, then rather than going back and becoming a smurf, it would be much more fun to beat others that are in my level range." Xu Jiaqi shrugged. She never understood why people wanted to regress their skills and make new accounts, just to climb back to the range they were in originally.


    "Well.. It''s just for casual fun..." Coming from someone who did make a smurf account in the past, Feng Qin laughed awkwardly. "A-ah! Goddess, what will you do after this?" He changed the question, tryin gto avert the topic away.


    "Now that you mention it, it is getting a bit late. It''s dinner time, hm? Then.. today''s streaming ends here." Xu Jiaqi clapped and fanned herself with her signature Qiyue Fan. "I appreciate you two for guiding me through the game and staying throughout the whole stream. Do have a great weekend. I will be back here tomorrow if fate calls for it."


    Nice and simple, an ending message accompanied by the appearance of a signal that Xu Jiaqi had prepared beforehand. With just one snap of her fingers, she turned the entire channel theme upside down, making the sets completely different from before. The lights dimmed down, and albeit her remaining as the beauty that she was, the previous atmosphere was torn apart.


    Xu Jiaqi held a candlestick that already had a lit candle stuck on it. "The ending scenes. Until this candle completely melts down, it will be considered our farewell session. Do you have anything to say before I leave?"


    "Ah! Goddess, save the stream video so that it can be left as history! You can turn on the autosave feature right now, it will help you a lot!" Feng Qin almost forgot to mention this part and panicked.


    He didn''t know anything, this goodbye scene just popped out of nowhere and threw his momentum off.


    It appeared to him that Xu Jiaqi was actually a complete newcomer in this business, as if she had entered the community wearing blindfolds. When he questioned her about some random things while they were playing earlier, Xu Jiaqi did not know how to answer him. It made sense inside his head, perhaps the Goddess did not intentionally want to hide her traces, but rather didn''t know the complete set of features Heaven''s Chaos offered?


    She didn''t even know who the most popular streamers in the platform were!


    If she was truly unaware of all this, then it would be quite pitiful! As a good person, as her senior in knowledge, he must guide this lost lamb to the chosen ones'' heaven!


    "Yes, Goddess. Wouldn''t it be better if you saved the video? Newcomers might come and take a look at them when you aren''t streaming, attracting new viewers to your place." For once, Tang Yixiu actually agreed to Feng Qin''s words and nodded.


    Xu Jiaqi thought for a few seconds to come up with a satisfactory answer that would align with her motives as ''Xu Jiaqi'', the recuperating girl.


    "..No, I won''t. This place is not meant to be a flaunting show, I''m not chasing vanity or anything like that. It''s meant to be something I do.. because of special reasons. If someone comes across my stream, then it is their luck to have joined my audience. If not, then I don''t mind. Do you two really think that I''m here to earn money?" Xu Jiaqi spoke in a softer tone, like she was holding back for something that the other two couldn''t comprehend.


    "..Well, obviously not, seeing as to how your so.. you know, professional and all that.. Or how you spent hundreds of dollars in one go without batting an eye.." Feng Qin stumbled while speaking, not able to dispute her claims.


    This mysterious woman was full of surprises.


    "Anyway, I don''t intend on openly leaving my content around. If someone in the future saves the records, then so be it, that is their decision. I would prefer it if no one recorded anything, though." Xu Jiaqi let out a gentle sigh, having a melancholic look on her face.


    Feng Qin, who had been recording the entire stream this whole time felt like a knife had stabbed itself deeply into his heart upon hearing her words. It was poking into his conscience. Without pause, he immediately stopped the recording and did not save the file. Gulping a mouthful of his own saliva, he tightly shut his eyes and clicked the discard button, exiting the recording app right away.


    A displeased groan came out of Feng Qin''s mouth unintentionally.


    It was a sign that the pitiful little rat had been lured in using the bait set on the trap.


    Snap!


    Silence ensued.


    "..Bro~ther Angry, don''t tell me, you saved the stream?" Tang Yixiu was quick to catch on things and pointed it out.


    "Ahh.. No- not really.." Feng Qin raised his voice, scared that he would be found out.


    "Going by your words, you''re not even fully denying it. How cute." Xu Jiaqi burst into small giggles. Being honest was not a great gift.


    ..Yeah, totally not. People regularly said that honesty was a virtue, but in truth, how would that benefit somebody? What does virtue mean in the eyes of life and survival?


    Xu Jiaqi, for a long time, lived by an ideology. A set of rules that she abided with, ones that let her disobey the actual rules of a society. Her own theorem, the one she came up with and believed in.


    In life, you have to lie. Lie so good until it becomes your truth. Hide the weak side of you behind a sturdy wall, in a place no one will ever find or enter. Use deceit as your friend, and not something you loathe. Only then will you be able to become a pathological liar.


    Humans actually adapt to being such a liar in a short time. After a session of repetition, then they would not even feel a shred of remorse anymore. It would all be dissolved, and they would find any possible means to deceive even themselves. They would use anything to make them stand on the righteous side.


    After you''ve gone too deep, then there was no return in sight. Deception was a road with no return. And she had willingly walked on the path right from the start.


    What does that make her, in the lines of morality?


    That was why, meeting someone like Feng Qin both amused and disgusted her. It brought a sweet and sour taste to her mouth.


    Knowing that there was still someone like him, who found it hard to lie..


    And comparing it to herself, who was already absorbed into this world of neverending chaos and lost all of her good moral values.


    She did not feel inferior because of the subject. It was just a matter of self doubt. Endless thoughts of trying to figure out whether where she was standing right now, her choices, and her ideals..


    Was it right?


    Her expression warped ever so slightly, to the point that it was unnoticeable except for a certain someone who had joined into the stream just a few moments ago.


    He, who had been paying close attention to every single movement she made, noticed the shift.


    This man was the one and only President Tang Yizhou, the man plagued by a series of uncanny conditions that prevented him from living a liberated life.


    This man found something in Xu Jiaqi that allowed him to actually see light in his moments of pain.


    A potential medicine that popped out of nowhere, like a saving grace from a Goddess.

 Chapter 197 - 4.23

    Tang Yizhou was a careful man, to say the least.


    The entire site was his, so he performed some tricks in order to not get inside the viewer list and be exposed to the streamer. His eyes were fixed onto Xu Jiaqi''s figure.


    It also had to be mentioned that he was another person who saved Xu Jiaqi''s stream in hopes that she was truly a help to his condition, but just like Feng Qin, upon being indirectly called out by her, he stopped the recording and deleted all evidences.


    However, he only left one piece of data left, and that was a still picture of her smiling brightly after winning a game with the others.


    He felt a bit bad for his actions, but he couldn''t help but keep it to himself, because it was too much of a shame to dispose of the picture. It was so beautiful, and although the full extent of her moving beauty was not captured, every picture Xu Jiaqi took still felt like a breath of life was poured into the media.


    "Goddess.. No, Queen.." Repeating the streamer''s title, Tang Yizhou rubbed the tip of his nose as he looked at the picture, his eyes bloodshot from the lack of sleep that he was served during these recent days. "I wonder if this is just a coincidence, if it''s a way for the heavens to tell me that my suffering should end now, or.."


    He didn''t want to think about other factors, and chose to not say it after much consideration.


    All that he knew was.. after looking at Xu Jiaqi and speaking with her, it was like his fatigue was lifted. Like there was a curse that bound him tightly this whole time, and coming across Xu Jiaqi cleared the curse up and recovered his vitality, albeit not completely.


    He wondered, if even by watching through a stream and not directly talking to her face to face, the effect was this great.. What would it be like if he was to meet her in person?


    ..How can he grasp such an opportunity in the first place, when she was nothing but a streamer that only had three viewers, and could disappear any moment?


    Did he need to interact with her further, make it so that she wouldn''t leave the streaming industry? But from her speeches, it was clear that she wasn''t here to seek out a chance in earning money in this big cesspool of people looking for entertainment, but rather sought this entertainment factor for herself. Wanting to make throwing money while streaming, and watching the viewers a method to entertain her.


    A complete reverse from what it originally should be.


    As the revered president of the tech empire Ecinos, he was suddenly struck with this big and pressing question that he didn''t know the answer to.


    He felt uncertain for the first time in a long run.


    He could just simply maneuver his authority around. He could make it so that her information would be delivered to his doorstep in the blink of an eye. He could visit her tomorrow in her living space if he''d like to, he just needed to say the words and it would all happen.


    But did he want to do that? Did he want to take away the streamer''s privacy for his own benefits?


    For once, Tang Yizhou, who was known to be ruthless and unfeeling towards all that he faced in life, actually wavered for this woman he had never met in real life. If a coworker of his learned that this happened, then they would definitely say that it''s all a lie, and that it never happened.


    Even though the matter concerned his  health and wellbeing, he couldn''t bring himself to potentially offend the woman behind the channel.


    It was too surreal, even for him.


    Tang Yizhou''s life.. A new chapter was about to begin, and none of them who were about to be involved knew how great the effect of this matter would eventually grow up to be.


    With his long and slender fingers, he quietly typed on his keyboard. Creating a new account. He was asked to come up with a name that he would go under.


    If she was the Queen.. Then, in order to get closer to her, shall he take on the title of ''King''?


    Ding!


    Your account has been verified.


    Viewer ID: The King Wants to Rest


    Tang Yizhou wanted to rest for so long, but couldn''t. It was a stressing matter that he wanted to peel himself off of by any means.. Well, except for forcing his hands on the streamer.


    Will Xu Jiaqi''s existence help him rest, help him come out of his ailment and recover to his prime state, retrieve back his former honor? Or will she.. end up being too powerful of a medicine, that he would not be able to separate with her any longer.


    That he would end up needing to suffer because of his uncontrollable feelings at that point.


    He just wished that he wouldn''t confuse his feelings.


    He wanted to try and approach her, though. Whether the result would be good or bad.. That was for a later time to discuss.


    _____


    The next day, Xu Jiaqi continued her streaming streak. She opened up her devices and launched her broadcasting systems, making sure that everything was all perfect before setting a countdown and going online.


    "Damn, I thought that I got used to wearing these clothes from my previous world, but that''s not the case at all. It''s so beautiful.. Yet, somehow, it doesn''t contain the same.. feel as it did previously." Xu Jiaqi commented as she tightened the ties around her waist and tidied up the costume.


    It was just too hard to replicate the exact feel of a dress, this being the modern era where people were no longer in direct touch with the abundant ancient culture. If she wanted quality, she had to specifically look for an artisan.


    "Investments, investments." Xu Jiaqi sighed. She would think about it. It bothered her that everything was not perfect, that there was a blemish on her performance.


    Her acting had to be flawless. Not a single mark could be in her play.

 Chapter 198 - 4.24

    Sitting down on the comfortable chair she had prepared, she cleared her throat before pressing the button that allowed the viewers to look at her.


    "Good day, everyone. How are you doing?" Xu Jiaqi opened her fan up, striking a confident pose as she was greeted with one familiar name who came to see her right after the stream opened.


    A chat message instantly popped out.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Sister Goddess! You''re back! You''re back!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Goddess, am I not the best fan ever? I''m already here before anybody else!


    An excited fellow who came to see the big sister, no longer only because of the money the woman had, but also because he enjoyed interacting with her like he did yesterday.


    "Ao.. You''re so early. Don''t tell me, you watch this site and monitor it 24/7? Brother Angry, you are quite silly." Xu Jiaqi coughed. She was rather shocked.


    It had only been two seconds since she started the stream, albeit there being a five minute announcement before she officially began showing up. This Feng Qin was apparently very punctual when it came to certain things. Unfortunately, for other sectors, he wasn''t as diligent as he needed to be.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Hehe.. It''s the weekends, right? Tomorrow, I have to go out to work around this time, but for today.. I can be as free as I want! No one can restrain me! This king will prevail over the worldly matters mortals suffer from!


    Xu Jiaqi grinned, her eyes scanning over the multiple monitors she had. One of them caught her eye. Her viewer list had an additional variable. A user going by the name [The King Wants to Rest].


    Humming a happy tune, she wondered if the man would come to talk on his own, or if he just happened to pass by and would leave soon.


    She wasn''t all that interested, so she didn''t mention anything about him and struck a conversation with Feng Qin, asking him what he wanted to do today.


    After a few minutes of exchange, Xu Jiaqi glanced at the monitor again, and saw that the new user was still there, watching her. And yet, there were no comments made.


    ''Was it just a coincidence?'' Xu Jiaqi thought.


    She thought about it a couple more times before deciding to take some measures.


    "...The King Wants to Rest?" Xu Jiaqi decided to say the name. "Welcome to the stream. I saw you on the viewer list, do you not want to come and interact with us?"


    Behind his screen, Tang Yizhou was actually surprised that Xu Jiaqi called him out. He knew that there was a viewer list feature, but he didn''t think he would be addressed like this.


    "Haa.." In truth, he had been trying to figure out what to say in order to make a good impression and enter the community stealthily and smoothly. Especially because his own younger brother, Tang Yixiu, was present in this very community, it was hard for him to make a move because there were so many mines he had to avoid.


    In the end, since Xu Jiaqi already called him, he didn''t want to not reply to her. He hurriedly typed out a few replies, popping messages into the chat box.


    The King Wants to Rest: Just like my name.


    The King Wants to Rest: I want to rest, I''m very tired.


    The King Wants to Rest: I came across this stream and it radiated a good energy, so I joined here.


    The King Wants to Rest: i didn''t think that you would call me out loud though.


    "..Ah, sorry if I made you uncomfortable. Perhaps you are one of those lurkers who don''t engage in chat activity." Xu Jiaqi pursed her lips. This new addition to her stream seemed quite rigid.


    Tang Yizhou saw how she turned a bit hesitant and wanted to correct any misconceptions before it was too late.


    The King Wants to Rest: It''s fine. I don''t mind.


    The King Wants to Rest: I''m not a lurker, I was just busy doing something else.


    Of course, it was just an excuse. This whole time, from start to finish, he hadn''t accomplished anything else except for staring at Xu Jiaqi and listening to her talk to the other viewer.


    "...It''s good if that''s the case. Your name is quite strange. You''re a king, why don''t you rest if you want to do it so much?"


    The King Wants to Rest: I am resting right now by watching you. I like you.


    Xu Jiaqi: ...Back off, sir. This is private property, you are trespassing into my.. heart? Mind?


    It was a rather frank expression. Xu Jiaqi''s immediate thought was that the man had voiced his opinion in the wrong way, and used the wrong words to convey his meaning.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Woah! Woah, woah, woah there, brother!


    Big Brother is Angry!: Who are you, to try and court our Goddess? You have to get past me first! I will gatekeep the Goddess with all my might, try me if you dare!


    Xu Jiaqi burst into small giggles, which made Tang Yizhou''s hear skip a few beats with him wondering what the meaning behind those jolly expression indicated. Did she laugh because of him?


    Then, it was good. It was a good start!


    He never considered himself as someone bad at socializing, but why did everything seem so slow when it was about this peculiar streamer that he had randomly came across with the help of his brother?


    She had him second guessing himself all the time, to the point that he was confused with himself.


    He took a deep breath before coming back and replying to the commenter above him.


    The King Wants to Rest: I''m just speaking the truth.


    His heart started to beat abnormally fast. After thinking about his previous words.. Did it seem like a confession? Well, there was no way that Xu Jiaqi could ever think that he was genuine, right?

 Chapter 199 - 4.25

    If this was called the fate''s hand, then he wanted to slap himself with the hand to get some tries at grasping fate with her.


    Though he was distraught with the sudden influx of his own emotions, he carefully tucked it all back into his heart and typed some more in the chat.


    In the end, without realizing it, he had gotten accustomed to talking with this woman through the chat box. Although it was a bit of a shame that he couldn''t meet her directly, that was a plan for another time. For now, all he could do was grab onto her this way.


    As time passed, he found that his mind was slowly becoming much more peaceful. It was like Xu Jiaqi had a special touch to everything she did, making his mind clear up from the previous cloudy atmosphere he had due to his sickness.


    It was a moving sensation. For him to finally recover like this, although the cure came in such an unexpected way that he would''ve never guessed that this would happen.


    When Xu Jiaqi began her ending ritual with a candle, without thinking much, he whipped out his virtual banking numbers and sent Xu Jiaqi gifts..


    The King Wants to Rest gave you Sweet Flowers x500!


    The King Wants to Rest: Some flowers as thanks for today. I enjoyed my stay.


    Towards the end, he suddenly dropped a huge ''virtual bouquet''. One flower was akin to one dollar, so five hundred flowers naturally came out to be five hundred dollars.


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyes flared up for a bit, but she didn''t become shocked.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Woah! Brother King, you turned out to be an oil lord as well? Damn, two oil lords are in close proximity with me! What is this sorcery? Is the world trying to make fun of poor little me??


    "..The gifts were unnecessary, but I''ll accept it." Xu Jiaqi smiled. "If you enjoyed today''s talks, then you should come back tomorrow. I don''t have anything to do, honestly. Except for earning money and now.. streaming."


    Although, the one who was actively earning money was System.


    Let''s not say that to them!


    "It was enjoyable for me too, I suppose. Brother Angry, I haven''t donated anything to you today, what do you want? I''ll buy you something just because." Xu Jiaqi ran her fingers through her soft hair as she took off her hair piece and revealed a more disheveled version of her.


    Big Brother is Angry!: Uhh.. I don''t really have anything that I want... Besidess~ Don''t think that I''m only here for the chance of getting money! I''m not that pitiful! I''m not a bastard!


    Big Brother is Angry!: I''m sorry for my words on the first day, but the reason I''m here today is not because of the money, but rather because.. you''re really impressive!


    Big Brother is Angry!: You gained an admirer lololol


    "..Is that so?" Xu Jiaqi laughed and narrowed her eyes. "That''s.. good. Really good."


    Xu Jiaqi lit up a candle and held it within her hands, the flickering light making her eyes shimmer more than ever.


    "Anyway, today''s stream will be ending, just like what I''ve said before. Brother Angry, Brother King, it was nice to talk with you. Then, see you next time.. Goodbye."


    She blew out a candle, letting the screen fade to black and end the stream for good.


    Xu Jiaqi leaned backwards against the chair, then suddenly stood up to let herself fall down to the bed.


    "System, come and report, how much money have you earned?"


    [...Okay, so Host.. What if your lovely, very talented System.. is somehow a genius at earning money? Wait, no, that''s not right. Host, how can earning money be so fun? The other competitors look like a fool because they don''t know anything! They don''t know that I''ve stolen basically all information, and set up landmines ahead of time.. Waaa! This kind of profit mountain.. System is drooling, Host, I''m drooling!]


    Xu Jiaqi, who heard the response, blinked multiple times before pinching her cheek and making sure that she hadn''t gone crazy yet.


    "System.. if I''m not the one who went nuts.. Then you''re.. Is your head okay? Don''t tell me, you contracted a virus? Let''s perform a check up on you, System."


    [W-what?! Absolutely not! Nothing is wrong with me! It''s Host that''s weird! You made this seem like a strenuous task, when it''s actually so fun! Ah, Host, you couldn''t recognize a diamond in the rough! This one is clearly a genius, a great companion, but you  treat me this way.. Must I riot?]


    "..Really, I think you''ve gone ballistic." Xu Jiaqi took off her clothes and changed into casual ones. "Anyway, report the profits you''ve made. I''m thinking that I should buy a house if I want more leisure."


    [How rude, Host.. But.. Hehehehehe. Heheh. Hehehh~ HEHEHEHEH!] The System''s voice gradually sounded more and more like a maniac, to the point where Xu Jiaqi was frightened.


    "S-System? Earth to System...~?" Xu Jiaqi carefully spoke.


    [You won''t believe this, Host! I earned one million! One million dollars! Host, what do you want to buy? This rich mommy will buy you the goods!]


    This was the point where Xu Jiaqi finally understood. She broke the System.


    How sad, how pitiful.. How lucky.


    If System enjoyed making money.. And is willing to share his wealth with her.. Then, it was a good thing, right?


    Hehe.


    Xu Jiaqi: Mommy System, please give me the allowance.


    _______


    As such, Xu Jiaqi let the System earn money for a few more days before finally deciding to go out and look for suitable property to move in. Her current assets totaled up to around three million dollars. It was unknown how the System managed to play around with the market to such a point, but Xu Jiaqi did not question it. After all, he was a robot in the end.


    A human like her shouldn''t force herself to understand how he worked. The point is to reap the benefits for herself!

 Chapter 200 - 4.26

    Today, she went out to seek a real estate agent.


    But first, she went to the mall, dressed like an elite, sophisticated young lady that had a cold aura. To add on to the play, she also hired ripped bodyguards who followed her around.  Wherever she went, she drew stares towards her. Of course, she ignored every single one of them and continued on with her shopping.


    She bought clothes, appliances, devices, and everything that caught her eye, fully knowing that her budget could accommodate for all the items that she bought.


    As she enjoyed her day, her eyes darted over to a particular place, where she finally spotted a familiar figure.


    "Oh?" Xu Jiaqi made a surprised sound, taking off her sunglasses to see clearly. It really was her.


    Fate must''ve wanted them to cross paths once again... to draw out a confrontation? Was that the destiny?


    Of course, she wouldn''t let anybody else except for her win the fight, so there was already no hope for the other person.


    Zhao Xinran.


    "Is something the matter, young miss?" One of the two bodyguards asked.


    "...An interesting enemy popped up. You two should fall back and hide while I take care of this little chick~" Xu Jiaqi''s playful nature came out, as she pushed the bodyguards holding stacks of items away.


    The two bodyguards were reluctant, but they still let her go because she was their employer, the one who paid their fees upfront. They wouldn''t disobey her wishes.


    _____


    Xu Jiaqi approached Zhao Xinran with light steps. The woman was standing in front of a shop, shopping bags surrounding her. It seemed like she had also spent her time roaming this facility for long like her, but she didn''t come across her before. Or perhaps, she was too fixated in her own matters to care about a person like her.


    Very plausible.


    In any case, Xu Jiaqi. Wanted. To. Cause. Some. Trouble!


    "Hello there." Xu Jiaqi stood in front of Zhao Xinran with a condescending gaze, her stance proud and unbending. "It''s nice to see you again. It must be fate, actually."


    "Y-you.. Qiqi! Why are you here.. You''re dressed like that as well.." Zhao Xinran couldn''t recognize the girl at first. It was because the figure she knew was the sickly, mindless girl that couldn''t think for herself. The girl who was stuck to the hospital, completely under their thumbs and helpless over whatever happened to her.


    Compared to that, the person before her just radiated confidence. She was dressed like a prim and proper lady, had a gaze akin to none, and her aura was just suffocating to face head to head. Unlike before, her complexion was great, and her beauty shone like never before.


    Was this truly Xu Jiaqi? How come? Why?


    Of course, Zhao Xinran would never know that the person before her right now was a completely reformed version of Xu Jiaqi.


    The Xu Jiaqi who had a thousand faces under her belt.


    "Hmm? Why are you so shocked? Is it wrong that I''m dressed like this? Ohh~ I know, you must be jealous of me because I''m prettier than you. Too bad. Your parents are nowhere near mine, so just by counting the genetics factor.. I''m clearly the better seed." Xu Jiaqi brushed off her hair like she didn''t talk about a strange topic in the slightest.


    "Y-you! How could you insult my parents like that?" Zhao Xinran teared up.


    This was her forte. Acting pitiful, and being a damsel in distress that attracted everyone''s sympathy and caused her to maintain her image and adjust to her rich life.


    This was also one of the main weapons she used to lure Song Ziyi in, so she would know how to use this technique the best.


    Of course, in front of Xu Jiaqi, who could act out a white lotus better than anyone, Zhao Xinran''s performance was not all that great to her. It was acceptable, but she lacked the correct gestures and timing.


    ''5/10. Just so so. Tch.'' Xu Jiaqi commented internally, grading the other party.


    How come her enemy was like this? Was she even worthwhile to face her? Wouldn''t it be like bullying a kindergarten child?


    She ought to spice it up a little bit to make it more interesting.


    Licking her lips, Xu Jiaqi raised her hand and landed a crisp slap on Zhao Xinran''s face. The sound reverberated so clearly, and Zhao Xinran''s head was turned to the side. The look of shock and disbelief present on her was quite satisfying.


    "This is for messing with me in the past. Ahh, it really does feel satisfying. I should''ve just gone down this path from the start. This is my calling. What was I being a meek bitch for? Letting myself be your doormat for all these years? Fuck." Xu Jiaqi cursed, shaking her head as she stepped down on Zhao Xinran''s foot mercilessly.


    She was wearing heels, so the pain was amplified even more. Zhao Xinran backed away in an instant, looking at Xu Jiaqi as if she was some type of monster.


    "You... Who are you?! You''re not Xu Jiaqi, are you? Are you her ghost?!" Zhao Xinran was scared out of her mind. She felt pain, but above all of that.. Humans were creatures that would get easily shaken when things that they were used to for so long changed out of a sudden without any explanation.


    Especially when the change was so drastic like this.


    "Did you just ask me why I slapped you? Or because I stepped on your foot?" Xu Jiaqi pinned Zhao Xinran to the wall of the store they stood in front of, getting closer and closer to her. "Either way, it doesn''t matter." She whispered beside her ear softly.


    "I slapped you because it''s free. The same way goes for your foot, okay~ Also, I don''t like you. I loathe you. I''m tired of all your crap, I''m tired of you stealing what should''ve been mine in the first place. I''m tired of everything, and from now on.. I won''t deal with you rotten fellows any longer."

 Chapter 201 - 4.27

    Xu Jiaqi saying those things to her face, especially when her volume was rather loud, make Zhao Xinran want to strangle the unpleasant girl and shut her up for good. So good that she would not be able to bother her ever again, because she would already be in her afterlife.


    Shockingly, in Zhao Xinran''s mind, there was not a shred of guilt that she possessed. Perhaps there were a few qualms at first, but as of right now.. Her mind was completely on board with the thought of justifying her every action, to the point where she actually made Xu Jiaqi out to be a villain for trying to ruin her life now out of all times.


    It was clearly a lunatic''s way of thinking, and there was no correcting such vile demeanors.


    Zhao Xinran''s heartbeat quickened up, racing like she was riding a rollercoaster. She saw Xu Jiaqi as an evil being who was threatening her because the other was jealous.


    Zhao Xinran gritted her teeth as she clenched her fists, restraining herself from hitting the lady in front of her back. However, there was a crucial part in the act that she struggled so hard to put up over this whole time.. A weak and gentle lady who wouldn''t raise a hand against a fly.


    Her eyes reddened, and her breath stifled as she ''grabbed'' Xu Jiaqi''s arms, making a pleading face. "Qiqi, this isn''t you. I know you, why are you doing this to me? We used to be so good to each other.."


    Her nails dug into Xu Jiaqi''s arms, trying to make the other suffer without ruining her own image. Xu Jiaqi whistled, obviously taking in all the pain.


    And yet, right at that very moment, as she was preparing to take the matters into further hands, another man popped up and grabbed her arm harshly. She was pulled off Zhao Xinran and thrown aside like a ragged doll.


    "Xu. Jia. Qi! Didn''t you promise that you will never mingle with us again? What, did you manage to splurge all the money that the Zhao family gave to you based on respect for your dead family? Are you still going to be a nuisance even after all that happened?! Don''t think I don''t know anything! I know how you tried to extort the Zhao family, I know how you acted towards Uncle, Auntie, and even Xinran, who acted the kindest to you!"


    The speaker was of course, Song Ziyi. He pulled Zhao Xinran behind him as if he was protecting her. Slithering her arm around the woman''s back, what a selective gentleman.


    "..Ha. You finally arrived. You''re also just as trash as Zhao Xinran." Xu Jiaqi walked up to Song Ziyi calmly and made the man flinch slightly, wondering what she was going to do.


    "W-what are you trying to-"


    Pa!


    Another crisp slap sound was made. This time, the recipient of the well deserved slap to the face was Song Ziyi. The bastard couple, both of them now had one red cheek each. How cute, they were matching!


    What a perfect day to be in.


    Song Ziyi looked at Xu Jiaqi in disbelief. Ever since he was little, who would dare wrong him? His family was so good, he was given everything that he wanted, and he knew no bounds when it came to his wishes.


    Being disgraced like this in public, how could he stand it?


    "I remember that you guys called me crazy before. You''re not wrong. Actually not wrong at all. It''s actually a good thing that I''ve gone crazy, did you know? I''m so fucking happy that I''m crazy.. If I killed both of you, do you think that my mental illness will come to my defense? The one you bitches purposely tried to worsen using all those shady means?" Xu Jiaqi shoved her face up close to Zhao Xinran and held her in place.


    She spat onto the other''s face, taking advantage of her original scenario to act as maniacal as possible.


    "I''m no longer the Xu Jiaqi you know." Her voice was like an angel''s whisper as she softly said, just enough for Zhao Xinran to hear.


    _______


    From a near distance, Tang Yizhou was coincidentally passing by. This was the fated day that he decided to take a stroll out of his own accord and not because he had to do something. It had been a long time since he tried to enjoy life in itself, because of how harsh the symptoms were and how hard it was for him to continue ignoring it.


    However, because of the particular encounter that happened yesterday, his mind ended up feeling more refreshed than ever, and his mood improved to a point where he actually held a short conversation with his younger brother, Tang Yixiu.


    The child had his own burdens, but he, as an older brother who was basically the younger''s parental figure actually disappointed him by distancing himself. It made the entire situation worse, even though he fully knew that the child just wanted to help him.


    He just couldn''t do it. Talking and interacting with anybody else. What was this set of ailments that took him by storm, making him unable to perform like a normal human being?


    The one who had the answer to his question was not surprisingly..


    The one who now had a mountain of worries compiled inside his head.


    System: The cockroach has returned! I repeat, the cockroach has returned!


    It was just a few hours ago that Xu Jiaqi mentioned a casual task for him to do. She instructed him to try and investigate this ''Butters'' person and his older brother at the same time, if possible. She was just trying to see if these two would be a viable partner for her to adopt and lead to become her comrade in the near future.


    However, the result that the System found turned out to be things that he would never ever tell the Host unless she was ready.


    It was a repeat of their former worlds.. The man was once again, here to greet them. Somehow, he had even found a way to encounter her this early into their transmigration!


    The System cursed Tang Yixiu a thousand times over and over, then he moved to cursing the world for making the two reunite in the first place, and then.. He was supposed to curse Tang Yizhou, but he didn''t.


    ..He was afraid of cursing that being, alright??! You can''t fault him! He wanted to curse, wanted to curse so badly, but what if the being learned of him and tracked him down? He would be disposed in an instant!


    Luckily, transmigrating into their worlds without a System like him was just like before, very taxing and painful on the soul. That being would never ever be conscious unless he came in contact with sources of divinity like he did in the second world.


    Zenith Ahgren was arguably the culprit that did the most damage to Xu Jiaqi. His Host was swept into a typhoon of dreams, trips down the memory lane that had long been sealed away under foreign powers.


    The System was confused once again.


    Because this time, the Creator himself had interfered in the matter, right? He created a seal for Xu Jiaqi, and told him that the being shouldn''t chase them into this world. That it would give time for them to process the wrongdoings and actually liberate his Host before everything was ready.


    Then, why was the being here again??! In form of Tang Yizhou, this sick president?!


    After closer investigation, the System learned that this President suddenly contracted a mysterious sickness, and the time was roughly a bit before their arrival into this world.


    If that was taken into account.. Then it was likely that the being already knew that the System processed things for him even before the seals were even implement. The only plausible way that all of this could happen is if he knew ahead of time where Xu Jiaqi''s world would land at, and came here to escape the seal''s impenetrable defense.


    By doing so, his vassal couldn''t even take the full brunt of the punishment and had to suffer from it.


    ...The System wanted to gloat, but he couldn''t!


    How should he report back to the Host?


    The System ended up working on sorting the information carefully with a heavy heart.


    He knew that all of them were in the wrong in one way or another. He knew that this wasn''t the most efficient process ever, and that the very cause of the madness was the separation between the fated souls to begin with.


    But in order to solve the separation, they had to separate them even further.


    Did it make sense? No. But no one, not even the Creator, held the ''medicine'' to this toxic relation.


    It would''ve been so much better if they just broke it off at once.


    It would''ve been fine.


    An esteemed Goddess of the First Rank, and the Constellation of Fate.

 Chapter 202 - 4.28

    Tang Yizhou was bothered by the commotion happening as he walked by, since it made his head ring with pain when he heard the murmurs of people overlapping with each other and creating a horrendous symphony.


    His eyes landed over to the center of the rowdiness and found two women and one man. Out of the three, he recognized two of them.


    Xu Jiaqi and Song Ziyi.


    Tang Yizhou didn''t know his current favorite streamer''s real name, but his eyes had scanned over her face so much that he could point out her visual from a puddle of a thousand people''s pictures in an instant now.


    Sensing that the atmosphere was not right, and that his ''Queen'' was being cornered, he didn''t think any further and approached the group right away, pushing through the curious crowd that gathered around the fight.


    "..This is getting really annoying. Listen, I don''t care if you are the bitch''s girlfriend, or if you''re her doting father or whatever.." Xu Jiaqi raised her head, rolling her eyes as she spoke. "But she wronged me, and my parents has always raised me to not let people step over me. It''s my fault that I have been blind, but now that I''ve picked myself back up.."


    Xu Jiaqi raised her middle finger and pointed it to the couple. "Sincerely, fuck you two, I wish that you have the worst life possible."


    "Fucking hell-" Song Ziyi grabbed the collars of Xu Jiaqi''s dress and tugged it harshly, causing the other to jerk forward. In the motion, Xu Jiaqi did not even flinch and faced the other head on, not backing away in the slightest.


    "What? What will you do? We are under the public''s eye. I''m a nobody, so they won''t recognize me, but who are you? The Song family''s heir. The status you''ve been holding on to for so long, will you let it crumble down because of a woman?" Xu Jiaqi chuckled darkly. "How foolish are you?"


    Song ZIyi tightened his grip, turning his head aside. Indeed, a ring of people had formed around them, and he even recognized some faces. If this news got out, it would not only be his embarrassment to take, but also a shame to the Song family''s name.


    "Song Ziyi, what the hell do you think you are doing?" A loud voice roared, pouncing at the chaos and separating Song Ziyi''s grubby hands from Xu Jiaqi.


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyes widened, not expecting this variable to come out of nowhere. She didn''t recognize the man, but he was visibly enraged towards Song Ziyi. His hand even awkwardly lingered around her figure, as if trying to hold her but refraining from doing so at the same time.


    "...Tang Yizhou!" Song Ziyi only needed one close look to recognize who this man was. Since he was in the same generation as the man, and considering how much buzz the other made after achieving that high of a success at his young age, Tang Yizhou was more or less a celebrity to the high society at this point.


    Known to entrepreneurs as a prodigy at his field, he was a perfect man left to be desired for with all of his amazing qualities. Someone who climbed up the stairs of success using nothing but strength and willpower, bulldozing over anybody who stood in his way.


    That same Tang Yizhou being here right now, obstructing him and protecting Xu Jiaqi, what did it mean?


    Song Ziyi didn''t know where Xu Jiaqi originated from in detail because the Zhao family always tried to hide the truth away and didn''t want to talk much about the matter. Thus, he had always assumed that Xu Jiaqi must be a child that was left in the family''s care, and was kept for sympathy reasons.


    It also hadn''t been long since he entered a relationship with Zhao Xinran, so naturally he wouldn''t care enough to investigate about this unimportant life''s details.


    This was also why he would be overly critical of Xu Jiaqi''s state whenever he made a rare visit with Zhao Xinran. He thought that the Zhao family were being too selfless- even though the real situation was the complete opposite of that.


    After the System collected the information, something became awfully clear. The Zhao family, from the beginning, did not like the Xu couple.


    Jealousy. Envy. Those hateful emotions, implanted into a human being''s heart, would sprout uncontrollably and spiral downwards without stop once triggered.


    It was easy to tell that the Zhaos definitely had a hand in the ''accidents'' that happened one by one. Xu Jiaqi would even go as far as to say that the main tragedy was instigated by the Zhaos behind everyone''s backs, and they somehow got away with it.


    Xu Jiaqi didn''t make a move yet because she wanted to be careful with her means, she wanted to gather all of the weapons she could use in this case before she finally conducts her attacks.


    However, it didn''t mean that she was clueless about the situation.


    Knowing that she was at the right, and that the law would eventually be at her side as long as she could form her evidences and present them with a good lawyer, she was confident that this game of life would definitely set her as the final winner.


    For now, she could only pick these fights, not having anything in particular at risk. She had everything, in the form of the System that accompanied her, but she also had nothing because there were no ties between her and this world after the original soul died.


    It meant that she would have to be independent, but that was a blessing in disguise when Xu Jiaqi thought about it.


    "Are you crazy? Who do you think you are trying to hurt?"


    "Do you know this girl?!" Song Ziyi didn''t believe it. This girl named Xu Jiaqi was nothing special in his eyes, and there were also no signs of her having some sort of special identity.


    Tang Yizhou''s hand grabbed onto Xu Jiaqi''s, latching it around her and coddling her in a protective position. "Yes. She is under my protection. Song Ziyi, do you think that you are better than me now, to covet what I protect?"


    Song Ziyi trembled as Tang Yizhou''s glare scrutinized him from top to bottom. The Song family was rich, but compared to the giant that this beastly man had built up from the foundations, it couldn''t be compared.


    Tang Yizhou''s influence spread over international countries as well, not just a city or nation wide impact. His works created waves in the world as a whole, whereas the Song family was just one of the many companies in business.


    His logical side finally clicked, and he decided to withdraw from the place for now.


    He was pissed, so pissed that he thought his head could burst, but it still wasn''t good to go against Tang Yizhou.


    After he left dragging Zhao Xinran with him, Tang Yizhou used his presence to clear the crowd out as well, making them shuffle away in fear as the stern man chased them away.


    "...I don''t know who you are, and I''m not going to thank you for what you did." Xu Jiaqi brushed off some dust from her dress and looked at the taller man with piercing eyes. "I could''ve handled them myself. I was the one who approached that bitch in the first place. There was no need for you to interfere, and yet you did. In fact, I now think that you should be the one to apologize."


    ''In fact, this would''ve been a perfect chance to spread some seeds of negativity.'' Xu Jiaqi clicked her tongue.


    Her favorite weapon was the public''s opinion. It didn''t need to be explained further. For a case like hers, and when one of her missions was one that needed popularity and heat, she needed to create scenes like this in order to propel herself into fame quickly.


    No matter if the attention was negative or not.


    Sighing, Xu Jiaqi picked up her bag and prepared to leave, before she was stopped by Tang Yizhou.


    "..Now what?" Xu Jiaqi raised a brow at the man who she didn''t know the identity of.


    Tang Yizhou was at a loss. He was certain that the streamer he had discovered, the one who had ties to his ailments was this very woman standing before him right now. This belief was further strengthened by the fact that his mind continued to improve in clarity when he came in contact with her.


    It was exactly like what he had theorized, meeting in reality had a much larger impact on him, and his soul felt like it was completely tranquil at the moment.


    However, the contrast between the personality he had seen through the screen and this cold, prudent behavior presented to him at this moment was quite shocking to say the least.


    It also brought a new sense of charm to her, making him feel emotionally invested too.

 Chapter 203 - 4.29

    However, to Xu Jiaqi, Tang Yizhou was just a bother. The System knew what was going on and the guy''s real identity, but since he decided to hide it, Xu Jiaqi had no idea and assumed he was just a meddlesome person.


    After all, she was confident in her own appearance and aura, it''s not an abnormal occurrence for an admirer to suddenly pop out of nowhere.


    She heard the name Song Ziyi spout when this guy came around. Tang Yizhou. That was most likely this man''s name, but since she hadn''t educated herself about this world''s powers yet, the Tang family was not even an existence in her brain.


    "Are you just going to stand there? Not saying anything? I''m sorry, but you''re being annoying." Xu Jiaqi''s tone was harsh as she crossed her arms and called back her bodyguards.


    The two bodyguards stood beside Xu Jiaqi''s side. They were very tall, but Tang Yizhou''s height was also abnormal. There was only a few centimeters worth of difference between the men''s height.


    In comparison, Xu Jiaqi''s stature was small, and the other towered over her completely. As a result, she had to lift her head upwards just to have eye contact with the other party.


    "I will give you one chance to state what you want since you technically helped me, even if it wasn''t something I wanted. I''m just generous like that." Feeling slightly irked at her small size, she spoke up.


    Xu Jiaqi brushed her hair back and tilted her head, gesturing for the man to continue.


    If a sane person was in Tang Yizhou''s position, then they might''ve thought that Xu Jiaqi was being too unreasonable and cocky, but for a certain man..


    How come Xu Jiaqi, this woman, seemed so cute no matter what she did?


    It should be said that people often mistook emotional spikes at hectic occasions to be somewhat related to romantic feelings, but this was obviously not the case.


    Tang Yizhou''s mind was now overflowed with the thought of keeping Xu Jiaqi by his side, simply because he saw her as his ''medicine''. The cure to his condition. His savior, the one and only person he had been waiting for this whole time.


    He didn''t even begin to try and think about what could''ve caused her to create this impact, but rather jumped straight on the gun and approached her. Now, his mind was even creating fireworks and sparks on his own, making him flustered.


    "Lady, I think I like you." Tang Yizhou said out of nowhere.


    This phrase, it needed to be said, right? Before the healing Goddess went away, he must quickly secure his every chances and grasp whatever straw he could hold on to for dear life. ''


    Desperation was clearly evident in his gaze as he made his move. The despair that he felt over the course of these trying times was too much to handle even for a Tang Yizhou because of how quickly the negative emotions stacked up and burdened him like a heavy boulder placed on his back.


    He was a ticking time bomb waiting to go off at any given moment. To stop the timer, there could only be one way, and that was to place this healer of his next to him.


    Xu Jiaqi''s brows twitched as she listened to Tang Yizhou''s plea.


    Xu Jiaqi: ..Uncle, back off, I''m a minor.


    "..Do I know you? I don''t recall anything." Xu Jiaqi made sure to ask. Having the courage to say bullshit like this, is this guy a lunatic, or is he just a psychopath?


    There were no other options!


    "You.. know me in a sense, lady." Tang Yizhou slowly answered.


    "In a sense? What kind of ambiguous cue is that?" Xu Jiaqi frowned, not satisfied with the response he gave.


    This man was wasting her time! And that is. Not. Good!"


    "I watched your stream! And.. I really liked you." Tang Yizhou upped his game and ''confessed'' a second time.


    ''Stream?'' Xu Jiaqi thought.


    Xu Jiaqi connected all the dots. The rich fan that sent her five hundred flowers out of nowhere before, it should be this guy, right? [The King Wants to Rest].. She still remembered that person''s name.


    Tang Yizhou.. was her fan! The King! What a creepy coincidence, to meet her newest fan a day after he joined the ranks.


    However, now that Xu Jiaqi understood what was happening, she loosened her guard slightly. "Look, a fan is a fan, but you couldn''t have thought that I would give you special treatment just because of that, right? We don''t know each other, and not to mention, we''ve only spoken once."


    Xu Jiaqi decided to be a bit more reasonable. Usually, she wouldn''t have made this kind of move. She was shocked as well, wondering how she didn''t feel uncomfortable with the idea of associating herself with this foreign man outside of her business expenses.


    It didn''t feel repulsive, and that alone was a massive, staggering difference with others.


    To Xu Jiaqi, the world was like a game of chess. She was the mastermind who controlled the pieces and went against the other masterminds who were just like her. Opportunistic and selfish to the max level in order to reap the biggest profit and have the last laugh.


    This same Xu Jiaqi, after going through several worlds, has still not changed how her mind worked.


    "No, of course.. But if it''s about that, then," Tang Yizhou walked closer to Xu Jiaqi and lowered his head. "Can we get to know each other?"


    Tang Yizhou rarely smiled, and his facial muscles were stiffer than anybody else due to his lack of exercise in that area. His body was well built, and his overall look was perfect and aligned with Xu Jiaqi''s standards of beauty.


    A handsome man was willingly presenting and selling himself short in front of you. Even if the reasons were somewhat unclear and unbelievable, Xu Jiaqi still thought about the proposal over.


    Tang Yizhou, Tang Yizhou.. This guy, why did he have a familiar aura around him?


    Especially his voice.. Xu Jiaqi was someone who had heard thousands of voices in total, filling her memory up. But she was sure that she had recently heard this person''s voice, just that she couldn''t recall exactly who it was.


    Xu Jiaqi rewound her memory slightly and recalled the past. Then, it clicked inside her head.


    This voice!


    Of course she had heard it, she had spent some time gaming with the owner of this voice before! Butters'' older brother, the overpowered prodigy who stomped the boss down like it was child''s play!


    "..Wait, do you happen to have a younger brother?" Xu Jiaqi questioned, her piercing eyes locking down onto Tang Yizhou.


    Tang Yizhou hesitated before answering, wondering what Xu Jiaqi would think of him if he admitted the truth. Would she speculate that he was too much of a creep?


    However, he also didn''t want to lie to her, as it could bring a potential disaster in the future. If they are going to be affiliated in the future, then saying the truth would be for the better.


    "..Yes. I think you might''ve realized, but.. I played Archaen''s Light with you before.. Miss Xu." Tang Yizhou shrugged, feeling a bit awkward addressing her as ''Miss Xu''.


    "So you are him!" Xu Jiaqi widened her eyes, a bit surprised at this turn of events.


    Also, from what she could tell, Tang Yizhou had to be part of the high society if even Song Ziyi didn''t dare contend against him and prolong his stay. This kind of person, she also found it to be a bit suspicious for him to suddenly portray himself as a fan.


    On the other hand, he had a younger brother, and


    Xu Jiaqi weighed the situation. If she played this right, then she could gain a powerful ally by her side without having to reveal her identity too early into the play.


    She smirked, stretching out her hand. "Let''s give it a try."


    A delicious prey had delivered himself to Xu Jiaqi''s doorsteps. How could she not delightfully partake in this free meal?


    Tang Yizhou was indeed bending over his back too much by doing all of these things just for the woman that he had just met. Though, she emanated the best aura that he had ever seen and felt in the entirety of his life. It was just like that, attracting him like how honey drew bees to it.


    Tang Yizhou was not ashamed to say that he would even go as far as to cling to this person if that was what it took for her to stay a bit longer. Just from their short interactions, he already felt so much better.


    Now that he was given a chance to actually build a relationship with her, it didn''t matter to him what type of relation it was. He just wanted to stay by her side. He was positive of that clause, and didn''t doubt it a single bit.


    Two people with different intentions, about to mingle with each other having an unknown future set out for them.


    What would this pair''s seeds of fate bloom up to be?

 Chapter 204 - 4.30

    All of that said and done, the pair actually did not meet up until a week later, where they scheduled a simple meal at a casual restaurant. Not anything too fancy or overdone, just a simple meal between two simple.. people?


    No, definitely not.


    By just sitting face to face, both parties could tell that they were trying to ogle out the other. It wasn''t anything harmful or sinister, just a curiosity based viewing.


    "Alright, shall we get down to the actual talk? I''m really curious, how did President Tang suddenly develop a.. might I say, budding feeling for me?" Xu Jiaqi pried.


    By calling him out by the title, Xu Jiaqi had just revealed that she was perfectly aware of who he was. Her eyes were full of confidence, and it was like she knew she wouldn''t lose out in tis deal no matter what happens, which was why she became so relaxed.


    "I don''t know. Miss Xu just gives off a very comfortable feeling.. Something I took a liking to." Tang Yizhou was rather shy to express his true thoughts, since it did seem a bit strange when he thought about it a second time.  "I actually have a peculiar condition that causes me a lot of pain no matter what time of the day it is, and it has even gotten so bad that I couldn''t have a wink of sleep on some unlucky days. The most I''ve slept ever since this condition developed is one hour."


    It sounded super bad. Especially for someone like Tang Yizhou, who had to deal with people all day long in order to fulfill his duties. It was easy to set up a temporary proxy after what he had now became, but still, he had to stray away from any unwanted rumors taht might bring doubtful attitudes to the corporation.


    He had to recover extremely fast, or his empire could crumble any moment if he wasn''t careful enough.


    That was why, Xu Jiaqi''s effect was a godsent gift to him, something that he had to hold onto in order to get back in his track of life.


    "Hmm.. I truly wonder why that is." Sipping from her glass of strawberry milkshake, she looked at Tang Yizhou with a dazed look.


    She had waited one week before meting because she wanted to ask the System to investigate this man. Contrary to her beliefs, the System did not immediately accept her request and even repeatedly asked her to reconsider.


    Unfortunately for her companion, the more he tried to refuse this request, the more she wanted him to do it. After all, it wasn''t everyday that the System would say that he was unwilling to do something. In fact, this was the first time he was so adamant in refusing.


    When she coerced him into becoming a money making System, he did not even reject her this harshly.


    The results came out to be a bit of a surprise, but it wasn''t anything that she thought the System would try to avoid. He was excellent, but nothing abnormal.


    The founder of a company called Ecinos, which was the creator of both Archaen''s Light and Heaven''s Chaos. Two big entities that were famous in their own fields.


    This same man, how did he end up right in front of her, claiming that she was his savior and all that? Was she being scammed? Did the System send the wrong information file to her?


    That shouldn''t be the case. The System listed out an extremely detailed profile of him, and there was clearly a statement that the man had been plagued with a mysterious illness that stumped his mind and caused him to not be able to function normally.


    In those trying times, Xu Jiaqi appeared in form of a streamer, and brought changes to his disease. Wasn''t that too convenient? Xu Jiaqi was supposed to just a small person who was set to live a tragic life.


    ''I also feel like there is something that I forgot.. No, not just one thing, but a lot of things. Things that I can''t seem to recall.''


    It bothered her. She felt like this wasn''t the first time she had been in this kind of dilemma. Not being able to remember important facts that was floating somewhere in her pit of memories, but was just not in her reach.


    When she tried to force these empty memories to come back, it only caused her head to hurt badly. This was not scientific at all!


    Unconsciously, she fell into a daydreaming session in reality, causing Tang Yizhou to call her name repeatedly and receive no answers in return.


    "..Xu."


    "Miss Xu!" Tang Yizhou raised his voice a bit, which was the one that finally spiked the woman to react.


    Xu Jiaqi widened her eyes as her ears perked and caught on to Tang Yizhou''s shout.


    "..Ah, did you call me? Pardon me, I was too deep in thought.. I shouldn''t be doing this when this is our first formal meeting." Xu Jiaqi scratched her face lightly, a bit embarrassed over the turn of events.


    "No, it''s fine.. I was just worried about you." Tang Yizhou waved his hand, trying to dissuade her notion that she troubled him.


    From there, they continued to have small talks. They were both sort of interested in each other, although Tang Yizhou was obviously much more invested in this meeting. Xu Jiaqi responded to him like how she would any other person she met for the first time, and put up a rather likeable, but out-of-the-reach personality.


    Building an unbreakable wall, while at the same time trying to enter the opponent''s heart. She was an expert at playing with people''s feelings, so this kind of thing, leading Tang Yizhou on, it wasn''t anything hard.


    The thought that System was wary of this man still bothered her to this moment, even after they had spent tens of minutes talking to each other. He seemed normal, even though his status was huge. Why on Earth did her System show such a reaction?


    Her eyes constantly tried to scan this man for any anomaly, and she continuously failed.


    ''Perhaps System was mistaken?'' Xu Jiaqi thought. It was unlikely, but there was a slim chance that this little guy overreacted...


    Whatever.


    The two clicked off rather well. They shared a lot of similarities, and were able to engage in a peaceful and fine conversation.


    "Shall we go somewhere? Where do you usually like to go in your free time?" Xu Jiaqi questioned, wanting to go to a second location.


    They had both finished their meals, and it was nearing the one hour mark since they first entered this restaurant.


    Time was precious, and rather than just lazing around talking with no action like this, Xu Jiaqi preferred having some tension mixed in. Anything fun and involved the two of them interacting closely.


    "This question.." Tang Yizhou hesitated to answer.


    "Why? Is it too hard? Just think up of a location, I want to learn what your tastes are first. That''s important to build a relationship, right?" Xu Jiaqi scrolled through her phone screen to look for any potential places they could go to.


    "I usually go to the company if I have free time." Tang Yizhou said. "It''s a boring fact.. I know."


    Tang Yizhou was a busy man, but not because he was required to be busy. It was a well known fact that the man was a workaholic who loved his line of work so much that his free time was spent on his craft, improving his business empire and bringing it into further success. This straightforward character was also what captivated many business partners.


    It was like the man was married to the action of working itself. In the first place, what was the man trying to achieve? He already had huge success internationally, and he could just sit still and wait for offers to come his way if he wanted to. However, he still chose to fill the entirety of his day working, only sparing some time to interact with his younger brother.


    Xu Jiaqi stilled for a moment, processing his words. She was not expecting that answer, but it could work too. As long as this man permitted her to go with him, that is.


    At this point, Xu Jiaqi was still rather wary and suspicious of Tang Yizhou, and it should go the same way for the man. She was sure that the man would try to investigate her background. When he does that, the information he finds would not align with her persona of being a rich young lady, and he would start to question her integrity.


    She wondered what he would do once his suspicion started to reach the maximum possible stage.


    "We could go there if you want to bring me along. But President Tang surely won''t dare to do that, right?" Xu Jiaqi left a sly smile that enticed the man in front of her, trying to pry into his desires and seek a loophole.


    Xu Jiaqi thought that her statements would eventually cause the man to lose interest in her since she didn''t think that the President Tang would be someone who would stand by with her continuous bullshit spewing.


    However, to Tang Yizhou..


    Xu Jiaqi''s conniving attitude was like a little cunning fox trying to steal his heart.


    Xu Jiaqi: System, spit it out. What do you know?!!


    System: Ahhhh!! Police gentleman, there is a robbery trying to threaten me with my life!!!


    Xu Jiaqi: Where can you find policemen in the System Space?

 Chapter 205 - 4.31

    In fact, she was also quite interested in this man. He was handsome, rich, and fit all of her requirements for a partner. Most importantly.. she felt a strange sense of bond with him.


    Was she going insane? Is this the effect of the original body, making her have ideas about a random man who sprouted out of nowhere?


    Whatever it was, the next sequence of events would be akin to a game of prediction for her. Making her moves, with the simplest of actions containing many plans behind them.


    ''This should be an easy one to take down.'' Xu Jiaqi was sure.


    She instinctually knew that she wasn''t the one at danger in this exchange, and noticed how Tang Yizhou showed many different stages of emotions as he interacted with her.


    Too easy to provoke. It was the first rule of beating your enemy in a psychological battle. Xu Jiaqi was way too used to utilizing her skills to figure out her enemy and make her steps way before her opponent could even process what was happening to them.


    A cruel, cold decision maker. One who has nothing but profit and success filling her mind.


    She thought that for someone like Tang Yizhou, then naturally he would have the same tendencies that she did.


    She was right, partially. Tang Yizhou was indeed a cold-blooded person. After all, how else would he have gotten to his position using his blood, sweat, and tears, when he only derived from a normal family with no notable wealth or achievements to their name?


    The problem was only.. Xu Jiaqi. She was starting to become an anomaly in Tang Yizhou''s brain, an exception to his rules.


    Little did she know, Xu Jiaqi was reading too much into the matter, when she shouldn''t be worried in the slightest.


    Meanwhile, Tang Yizhou was just genuinely filled with adoration towards the woman. He didn''t even doubt his choices with logic like how Xu Jiaqi did, but rather chose to follow his heart for this special occasion.


    Meeting the one he believed was ''the one'' for him.


    "..Mn. Sure." Tang Yizhou didn''t waste a lot of time in hesitating before he quickly approved, nodding fervently.


    "Oh, really? President Tang, you don''t doubt me a single bit? Am I hearing things?" Xu Jiaqi laughed at the man''s decisiveness. A bit foolish.


    They had just met, and their prior encounter was a simple online meeting. How could this man be so trusting of her?


    "No.. I don''t think that I need to be scared of you."


    Xu Jiaqi narrowed her eyes, and crossed her arms in a haughty manner, emanating her rich lady aura.


    "Tang Yizhou, I will say this. You must be wary of someone like me, ah. I might be the catalyst to your downfall. I am very poisonous, unlike what you might be thinking inside your cute little head." Xu Jiaqi spoke, raising one brow in doubt.


    Her intent was to warn the man, and also make him distance himself from her. If just by saying this, the man would be deterred, then there would be no point in her engaging in any sort of serious relationship at all. Before anything, she must gauge his


    Contrary to what Xu Jiaqi thought, this man continued to act and perceive their situation very bizarrely. For example, from what Xu Jiaqi said..


    Tang Yizhou only focused on the fact that Xu Jiaqi addressed her with his name, and not just as President Tang like she had been doing ever since they interacted. Not only that, she said that he had a ''cute little head''.


    It made his eyes sparkle with delight.


    If someone else heard Xu Jiaqi, they would think of her words in a derogatory manner- an insult. Saying that they had a small head and couldn''t think far.


    In fact, that was Xu Jiaqi''s intention!


    But to Tang Yizhou, who was blinded due to the rose-tinted glasses he wore, those things did not phase him at all. Nor did it cross his mind in the first place.


    It was like Xu Jiaqi had a ''perfect'' filter applied to her at any given moment for him. No matter what she tried to do, he saw her as this mystical being who did not have a shred of imperfections in the slightest, but rather overflowed with grace and charm no one could compare to.


    Added on to her special qualities that healed him, it was no wonder that the critically acclaimed Tang Yizhou''s mindset was dumbed down.


    "Miss Xu, can you call me that again?" Tang Yizhou asked.


    "..? Call you what?"


    "My.. name. Please call me by my name if you''re.. comfortable with it.. I like it when you say it out loud."


    Xu Jiaqi widened her eyes, a bit surprised at the confession. She opened and closed her mouth, wanting to say something but unable to express it properly.


    "..Tang Yizhou?"


    Tang Yizhou went to a complete still stature, his breath hitching as he heard her smooth voice ring out.


    "Yes. It sounds much better than President. Please call me that." Tang Yizhou smiled genuinely.


    If only others could see Tang Yizhou''s current expression, there was a high chance that they would be enamored to such a point that their heartbeats would spike up.


    Tang Yizhou''s smiling face.. It was so elegant and warm. Even for Xu Jiaqi, who had seen thousands of unique, beautiful faces, Tang Yizhou''s smile had to be in her top tiers of displays from now on.


    "Is.. that the case? Alright, then." The man''s impression in Xu Jiaqi''s books definitely improved, but it did not mean that she was fully on board with their strange misadventures.


    "Shall we go to my company, then? I think I will be able to work much better if you are by my side." It was like Tang Yizhou''s shame meters were all turned off. He was able to say these things without batting an eye, and with a straight face.


    This kind of man, where did he come from?


    Nevertheless, Xu Jiaqi nodded. Tang Yizhou then went on to call his chauffeur, who arrived in minutes after being called up.


    The two got into Tang Yizhou''s car and was driven to the company. Upon reaching the place, they got off and attracted many stares from people as they entered the building.


    Everyone naturally recognized their own boss, but who was the woman standing beside him?


    Xu Jiaqi had a majestic appearance, and an aura that matched Tang Yizhou''s momentum so well that people thought they were a perfect fit. When in actuality, Xu Jiaqi was putting her guards up, trying to measure Tang Yizhou''s integrity and honesty.


    How can she not? Tang Yizhou''s existence in itself was strange.


    Why was he so lenient towards her? In this short amount of time.. don''t tell her, he developed a love at first sight?


    Dumb! Stupid! Brainless!


    Those three words would be hurled towards the man''s way if what she suspected was true.


    Tang Yizhou led Xu Jiaqi to his office, which was located at the highest floor of the building. They were greeted by many employees who saw them walking side by side, not to mention their president having an amiable attitude and expression towards the woman.


    This was bound to become huge news, inciting a flame of rumors within the company suspecting whether they were going to obtain a lady boss or not.


    Alas, once they reached Tang Yizhou''s secluded office, there was no longer anybody else except the two of them. Tang Yizhou had made it so that no one would be able to enter unless they contacted him beforehand, or he had called upon them.


    The only exception used to be his younger brother, who he treasured.. but now, it seemed like there was going to be a change in this rule.


    Xu Jiaqi, the beautiful woman, was currently staring at the office''s interior all over. Tang Yizhou was surely a very neat and organized person. She could tell just by looking at his room.


    Neat and tidy, simple but gorgeous. Just like his entire personification.


    "Please sit down, I will have my secretary bring over some refreshments for us." Tang Yizhou sat her down at a nearby sofa, and went right beside her.


    Xu Jiaqi, in that short span of time, decided to play some tricks.


    "I think men who work hard.. are very handsome. Are you willing to let me see you working on your duties? Treat me to some eye candy." Xu Jiaqi chuckled, reaching upwards to tug gently at Tang Yizhou''s collar.


    After all, if she didn''t tease people at every chance she gets like this, she wouldn''t be the Xu Jiaqi that she knew.


    Tang Yizhou visibly gulped, noticing the tension that had formed around them out of nowhere. It was hard for him to control himself in front of her, no matter what the subject was.


    It was like he was constantly being unraveled, unwrapped, and read like an open book.


    He felt... Exposed.

 Chapter 206 - 4.32

    "Of course. If that is what you wish for, then I naturally will comply." Tang Yizhou loosened up the collars of his white shirt, feeling that it was becoming super tight as Xu Jiaqi got closer to him.


    The room''s temperature should be staying the same due to their ventilation system, but somehow he thought the room was getting hotter and hotter with each passing second.


    Can the woman use magic or something? Witchcraft? No way. That''s not scientific at all.


    Use your brain, Tang Yizhou! What the hell are you thinking about?!


    Tang Yizhou was caught in a dilemma with is own self, not being able to explain the phenomenon that is his everchanging spirits.


    He sat down on his office chair and turned on his devices, putting on a pair of glasses to aid his vision. Along the process, he stole some side glances towards the woman. Every time he looked towards her way, Xu Jiaqi would also be intently staring at him with an interested smile, making his spirits lift up but at the same igniting his embarrassment.


    He had to stop acting like this, or else!


    Coughing to clear his throat, he began to work his mind, focusing on the screens in front of him. He also called his secretary over to finally begin his serious working hours.


    Xu Jiaqi''s presence inside his boss'' office freaked out the secretary quite a bit, but he was someone who had an overwhelming aptitude in adapting to strange situations. He quickly assumed his composed state and helped his boss in finishing their work.


    He noticed that Tang Yizhou''s condition had improved significantly from the last time he interacted with the boss. President Tang''s condition had gotten so bad that he almost resorted to not going into the office at all unless extremely needed a few days ago.


    However, after some unknown circumstances, he began to pick himself back up and was reverted to his capable state, the one who was diligently fulfilling all of his duties right now.


    The secretary, whose name was Zhang Teng also became motivated and lost his sense of time after indulging himself in work.


    Time trickled by, and Xu Jiaqi kept herself busy by discussing with the System about what they should be doing from now on.


    [Host, this guy.. I would appreciate it very much if you don''t get in contact with him. It could be very dangerous for you..!] The System didn''t dare to spill the truth directly, so he could only try and make his Host fear an unforeseeable danger coming her way.


    He wasn''t lying! Tang. Yizhou. Is. Dangerous!


    So dangerous that he wanted to die, ah~ How come this cockroach came back from the land of the dead?


    No, he was pretty happy that his Host''s important one did not perish for good, since that would lead to a different set of problems later on. But characters needed to have the correct timing when appearing! Not. Now!


    However, Xu Jiaqi wouldn''t listen to the System that easily.


    ''Ao, little System, this is the first time you have had such a massive reaction.. This Tang Yizhou, I don''t think he is all that dangerous from the surface. Unless you''re hiding a bunch of information from me.. Then, why should I be afraid, hm?''


    She became even more curious the more the System tried to warn her without giving any real context as to why exactly was he so dangerous. She wanted to bait the System out into saying the truth, but the mechanical companion never gave in.


    Now, she was stuck looking at the view of Tang Yizhou working with all his might, his mind primed to the highest extent of excellence. He was swift, and yet his work was all done in a spectacular manner with no mistakes to them.


    Xu Jiaqi whipped out her phone and took a casual picture of the man''s act. Unconsciously, a proud smile formed on her face.


    ______


    "...That should be all of it, boss. Is there anything else that you want me to do?" Zhang Teng heaved a sigh of relief. After all the things that they have done, Zhang Teng was extremely satisfied. He had feared that they were falling behind in terms of productivity because of Tang Yizhou''s condition, and worried that problems would arise in no time.


    Thankfully, a saving grace had arrived, and they were rescued from the pits of despair!


    Zhang Teng saw Tang Yizhou creasing his brows harder than he did in the entire session of working. It made him wonder what had caused the evident distress.


    "Zhang Teng, when you.. get- I don''t really know how to explain it, but if your heart beats faster, and it feels hotter, and.. you get nervous in front of someone.. How would you explain the cause of this kind of thing?" Tang Yizhou asked.


    He himself did not know why he was so worried over this, but he wanted clarification.


    "Could it be magic? A curse? A blessing?" Tang Yizhou muttered in a low voice, scared to let the woman know.


    However, in the stance of doing so, his act of stealing a glance towards Xu Jiaqi became even more evident.


    Oh my.


    Oh my!


    Oh my my my!


    Zhang Teng''s mind was not only brilliant at work, but he was also adept in reading situations and perceiving unsaid meanings. He had been weirded out when he found out that Tang Yizhou had supposedly brought a woman into his own office, but now..


    Could this be a sign to look out for? A possible change for the President''s way of living after all this time?


    Zhang Teng snuck up a look towards Xu Jiaqi and observed her manners. Xu Jiaqi was indifferent towards everything that happened, and couldn''t care less about them.


    "I think that.. the boss hasn''t gotten afflicted with anything weird. It''s just that.. I think the boss is interested in this person, that''s why you are making such responses." Zhang Teng said.


    "..Does that mean I adore her?"


    "I wouldn''t know, boss. It''s up to you to realize how you feel, right? How can I dictate and predict what you are feeling right now? However, I can confirm that the miss sitting there isn''t using any sort of magic at all since I am not feeling a speck of change in the slightest." Zhang Teng spoke in a matter-of-fact way as he advised his troubled boss.


    Youth!


    This was the taste of youth.


    Zhang Teng was almost two decades older than the boss. This staggering age difference might be a strange thing, considering the standards of secretaries for other corporate presidents normally. Tang Yizhou was someone who viewed skills and wanted nothing but the best working under his reign, so Zhang Teng was truly picked because he was the cream of the crop out of all the candidates that could have been promoted to the position.


    Due to his age, he had already passed youth many years ago, and had a happy family to return back to. The life he led was superb in his opinion, and he had a lot of experience weighing down on his back. The wife that he loved from the bottom of his heart.. When he first got to know her, was it like this as well?


    Seeing the boss becoming flustered like this moved Zhang Teng, who had already viewed his boss as someone closer to him than just a superior after working with him for so long.


    He was never blessed with a son, so seeing his boss like this sprouted an imagery inside his head that Tang Yizhou was his youngster son who was heavily uninformed about love.


    Zhang Teng thought that he ought to support him as best as he could to make his boss'' feelings bud properly! And the woman.. Although he didn''t know anything about her yet, since it was the boss'' choice, then she must be a good person as well.


    After all, if even Tang Yizhou couldn''t make the correct judgement, then who else could?


    _____


    "Miss Xu.. If you are free after this, then would you like to tag along with me.. perhaps we could have dinner in a cozy restaurant that suits your tastes?" Tang Yizhou asked earnestly.


    Tang Yizhou treaded carefully with his words. Before coming here, which was akin to stepping on a battlefield which had landmines scattered everywhere under his feet, Zhang Teng had equipped him with some knowledge first.


    The secretary made sure to tell the man that he had to be considerate of her feelings above everything else if he wanted to show his sincerity in courting her. Do not make rash decisions, and be calm.


    Be calm.


    ...


    Zhang Teng said it so simply.


    But how could he be calm when this woman''s thumb was now on his bottom lip, her other hand removing his spectacles slowly and playing with it?!


    Dear lord in heaven, this one prays to you.

 Chapter 207 - 4.33

    Xu Jiaqi made Tang Yizhou stagger backwards until he was pinned against the sofa. She used her hand to push him down to a sitting position, before pinching the tip of his chin and pulling it upwards gently.


    With a playful whistle, she smirked.


    "..Miss Xu, what are you trying to do?" Tang Yizhou quickly became nervous and panicked. He tried his hardest to resist any visible changes, but it was too late by the time Xu Jiaqi placed one hand on top of his chest.


    His rapid beating heart, and the pretty flush that appeared on top of his face was enough evidence for Xu Jiaqi to figure out more about this man''s intentions. At the very least, his reactions were honest.


    She did not see any signs of possible fraud, and the man truly did seem flustered.


    ''Cute.''


    Her luck was truly the best. She was welcomed by such a treat right after coming here. Not to mention, the man was also interested in her.


    Giggling, she got off the man. "Nothing much. Let''s go and have the dinner you promised?"


    Tang Yizhou was left baffled. He didn''t say it out loud, but a large pit of disappointment formed inside his heart. He sat still for a few seconds before his rationality began to return, standing up to escort the lady to their next destination.


    He sighed in despair. What was he thinking? Xu Jiaqi was someone he shouldn''t touch.


    ______


    After their fiery first real meeting, Xu Jiaqi and Tang Yizhou exchanged contacts and kept in touch with each other. Tang Yizhou would regularly ask Xu Jiaqi out, and they would spend some time together without actually having a proper relationship status.


    She even got to meet his younger brother, Tang Yixiu, who recognized Xu Jiaqi in an instant. At first, he was a bit weirded out, but after seeing how his brother began to gradually recover as Xu Jiaqi appeared more and more, he fully accepted this new presence and welcomed her.


    Xu Jiaqi continued her work as a streamer, making large amounts of money by the side thanks to the System''s help. Her viewer counts began to exponentially increase due to her crazed and peculiar habits at handling money.


    It couldn''t be helped, her character was just too out of the world. Strange, yet captivating. The beauty who had endless money, one that you couldn''t take your eyes off of no matter how hard you tried.


    Naturally, a lot of backlash followed her wherever she went. Many criticized her, but she never actually did something wrong, so no one could actually do anything to her.


    Xu Jiaqi continued to grow, until her daily viewership entered the thousands with each livestreams she would do. Having a mixed audience with an array of different opinions on her, Xu Jiaqi treaded carefully, maintaining the balance of her character with her plans.


    She wanted to have a big enough platform in which she could launch her big guns and successfully create a wave throughout the whole world. To do that, she would probably need a lot more time.


    Xu Jiaqi was still underage when she first met Tang Yizhou. She couldn''t afford to get herself in serious trouble. Her partner was Tang Yizhou- a bigshot that lots of people would recognize at first glance. She couldn''t just do whatever she wanted in this case.


    Tomorrow, she would turn into an adult. Today, she was still in an ambiguous session with Tang Yizhou. It was as if they had done everything, and yet have actually done nothing.


    They were completely in tune with each other, but the final push lied within her turning into an adult.


    ______


    "Tang Yizhou, do you not like it when I do this? Push me away, then. Push me away with all your strength and chase me out. You can do it, you know?" Xu Jiaqi tugged the man''s head down and positioned her lips right beside the man''s ears, letting out soft and warm breaths to further rouse the man''s reactions.


    They met up with each other hours ago, both deciding to take this day off because it was going to be Xu Jiaqi''s ascension to becoming an adult in a few hours. As always, they ''played'' together, engaging in intimate gestures and positions.


    "I.." Tang Yizhou was afraid to speak, since his mind was not in the right place. What if he blurted out something terrible? The heat of the moment got to his head and clouded his decision making skills.


    "Hmm? You what?" Xu Jiaqi locked her eyes with the other, holding his face up so he couldn''t break the eye contact unless he willingly pulled away. "Speak clearly for me."


    "It''s not like I don''t like it.." Tang Yizhou replied softly. His hands were shy at first, but as Xu Jiaqi didn''t show any signs of backing off, he started to pick up his bravery and let his own hands roam over the woman in front of him.


    His touches were shaky and as light as a feather, but Xu Jiaqi only needed those as a sign of his consent.


    "If you don''t dislike it.. Then shall we continue on?"


    "Qiqi.. Do you like me?" Tang Yizhou questioned.


    This matter had always weighed on his heart heavily. Now that the pressing moment was near, he wanted to make real decisions from now on. One that concerned how their status was going to turn out to be.


    As soon as Xu Jiaqi entered adulthood, he longed to confess. He had already planned it for so long. This wish of his, although he was so excited to finally do it, a large shadow was also cast above his heart. One that wondered anxiously. Full of ''what ifs'' and negative assumptions.


    He still viewed Xu Jiaqi as someone that was out of his reach. It wasn''t like he had no self confidence, it was just that Xu Jiaqi''s case was different. He was addicted to her just like how someone would grow addicted to substances.


    He was afraid that the more he indulged himself in this, the more he set himself up for a lunge towards the pits of hell. He wouldn''t be able to come back and recover the moment she decided to disappear from him.


    Xu Jiaqi grew silent, making his worries spike up even more.


    "..I might not be as interested as you are in me, but I''m willing to try out new things." Xu Jiaqi got closer to the man''s face, staying in front of him within a breath''s width. "Tang Yizhou, don''t tell me you thought I was a conservative lady at first.. Or maybe you think these actions are immoral? Do you feel like you''re being defiled?"


    Xu Jiaqi wanted to lead the innocent lamb down to the depths of darkness.


    "Of course.. not." Tang Yizhou gulped. Somehow, he was fine with the advances. He didn''t dislike them.. In fact, it made his heart race, and he could feel the clear sexual tension overwhelming his senses as he spoke.


    Xu Jiaqi grinned in delight. "Close your eyes, will you?"


    Tang Yizhou did as told, and waited for whatever was about to come.


    The gift that Xu Jiaqi chose was... a tingly sensation on his lips, a fluttery kiss that made him want to crave for more.


    His entire body became rigid. What must he do in this situation? He wondered if the choices he made was right. If he was heading down the right path and not one that would be the catalyst to his downfall.


    Xu Jiaqi had always warned him. From their first meeting, she stated that she was dangerous. And he was always made aware of this fact.


    And yet, he didn''t wish to heed such a warning and chose to stay here, be here, and exist right beside the woman.


    He didn''t want their exchange to be a casual one. He was truly interested in Xu Jiaqi. It didn''t take long before he realized this fact. Added on to his secretary''s assistance, he quickly sorted out his feelings and learned to express it.


    To tell the truth, when this all began, he truly had zero experience, and was extremely lost. His moments of youth had been lost due to grinding towards his future, wanting to improve his living conditions at all costs while simultaneously chasing his aspirations.


    For romantic relationships.. He was extremely dense and uneducated. He didn''t have time to develop such things, to the point where his secretary had to identify what he was feeling a lot of times. His emotional foundation was lacking, it needed a lot of polishing.


    After meeting Xu Jiaqi, all of this needed to change. He forced himself to adapt to realizing that his everchanging emotions were something that he had to deal with no matter what in order to proceed.


    And after a few months of initiation, he had indeed grown in that department.


    Along with it, his seed of worries bloomed uncontrollably, leading to the current point.


    Where his emotions were at the peak, about to explode.

 Chapter 208 - 4.34

    Time was ticking, waiting for the eventual, fateful moment to arrive.


    The System, watching from above, could only sigh in disappointment as his Host looked over her new prey with a hungry look. What could he do? The deed was done.


    The two intertwined souls attracted each other once again. As if there was a force that continued to bind them together no matter how much others tried to separate the two.


    Ah, forget it. He was just a third party in this scheme, if something went wrong, then it wouldn''t be his fault. The Main System would be the culprit. He would just play dumb, then!


    [Host, are you playing with him, or are you serious?] The System asked, a bit worried for the outcome of this duo. In fact, he didn''t know for sure how much the seal placed on Xu Jiaqi affected her, nor did he know exactly what it acted upon.


    The Host didn''t react immediately after meeting Tang Yizhou, even though there was supposed to be a collective bond formed between the two souls. This meant that the seal did work- however, the Main System did not succeed in preventing that being from coming here.


    If that''s the case, then how would Xu Jiaqi react? Wouldn''t it just be a repeat of the past?


    Unless the pest was removed for good, Xu Jiaqi will have to be trapped in a loop. There was no knowing until when their conditions were safe.


    ''If you''ve taken an interest in someone and could get along with them in one day, then why wait ten days, a month, or even years? Just make a move. If you get rejected, then know your worth and back off, there are other choices. Kissing someone''s lips, what difference does it make? People have filthy sex and act like nothing happens in the next day after one night stands. Being interested in someone.. it doesn''t have to be casual or serious. It''s a simple matter, truth be told. I don''t want to overthink it.'' Xu Jiaqi stated, relishing in the gentle touches of the man in her embrace.


    ''I am interested in this man, but probably not in a way that you see fit. I have my own standards.. and outlook on things.'' Xu Jiaqi added.


    [...] The System couldn''t say that the Host was wrong, but what was this urge to retort? His Host was being completely logical, but it felt a bit.. out of place.


    "Mmh," Xu Jiaqi let out a careless moan as the man hugged her tightly and began to make his own advances, his rough side coming out of the dark and creeping up from his previous gentle state.


    Xu Jiaqi latched her arms around the man''s neck and continued to kiss him passionately, as if they were lovers who had been separated for years and reunited like this.


    Their eyes were full of hunger as they linked their gaze together, their clothes coming undone sloppily with messy hand movements.


    "Qiqi.." Tang Yizhou caleld in a hoarse voice, his throat dry and parched.


    Xu Jiaqi''s gaze grew tender. Coming from Tang Yizhou, the call seemed so much nicer. Was it the effect of him being a handsome man who was now in her hands? To be exact.. In a few hours.


    So pleasing, ah.


    "Qiqi.. You have a comfortable.. energy around you." Tang Yizhou smiled brightly. Her name rolled off his tongue so smoothly, just like butter melting off.


    He did not lie. Ever since he met Xu Jiaqi, he had chased her for months and saw immediate changes in himself. He had returned back to normal now, and all of it could be attributed to the mysterious woman in his hands.


    Tang Yizhou did investigate about her mystical figure a couple times, and the background check led to her past self- the tragic star Xu Jiaqi. And of course, by doing so, she also encountered the matter of the petty villains who dared to scheme against his adored person.


    The Zhao family and their misdeeds. He was sure that Xu Jiaqi also knew about their sins, but she never took action against them. She even discouraged him from making a move, even though it took everything for him just to not destroy them at once.


    The two laid their hands on each other like unrestrained beasts before Xu Jiaqi thought of a new scenario inside her head.


    A scenario of her being completely fucked silly by the wolf pretending to be gentle under her right now. And the upcoming disastrous aftermath that would result from it.


    Vexing!


    They were currently in the office because they had to look for a place to temporarily rest after their long walks. Thus, there were really not much places to comfortably fuck. Obviously, continuing like this would be great, but it would be pretty uncomfortable, especially when she knew that this body was a virgin who had a weak constitution.


    She had to be careful, too. Men like Tang Yizhou, they could transform into voracious beasts when the time was ripe.


    Xu Jiaqi was someone who would intentionally make these men lose their minds and go full on ballistic. There was no telling when Tang Yizhou''s senses would crumble down entirely, and the gate to the exit would be fully closed leaving no chances for her to back out.


    Knowing her body''s limits, she had to take this to another place if she wanted to survive and not be rendered immobile the next day.


    "Hey, are we not going to have dinner?" Xu Jiaqi questioned. Her sneaky hands had unbuttoned the man''s shirt a few moments ago and was now unraveling the toned body the man had, licking her lips with a dazed gaze.


    "Are you hungry..? Shall we stop and eat first if that''s the case?" Tang Yizhou was completely in the mood, but Xu Jiaqi''s satisfaction had to be prioritized. This factor had been hammered into him ever since he began to actively pursue and bother her.


    He wished with all his might that Xu Jiaqi would give him a negative answer so that they could just continue, though.


    "I don''t know. A dinner.. we could head off to the apartment and do more unspeakable things there. The highest floor, a transparent window?" Xu Jiaqi suggested a tempting setting that made Tang Yizhou feel like there was a whole chestnut stuck in his throat.


    Tang Yizhou was never an advocate of sexual acts since he was way more in love with his line of work. Not to mention, he had to take care of his younger brother who he was responsible for. All the weight of his duties made him disinterested in actively engaging with the opposite sex for immoral reasons, but towards Xu Jiaqi..


    Xu Jiaqi changed him completely. A total 180 degree reversal from his starting point.


    Tang Yizhou heaved a huge sigh as he considered their situation. Not only were they currently in the office, where it could pose to be a problem of discomfort to Xu Jiaqi, but they could also be interrupted by unwanted stuff.


    If he brought her to a private suite with the nicest features, then both of them would be able to indulge in the luxury without having to think about anything else, only them.


    Also.. the idea Xu Jiaqi proposed was interesting to say the least. Imagining them viewing the lit up city during midnight, embracing each other..


    He already locked on the suggestion and knew exactly where to go. Coincidentally, he did own a property that matched the fantasy Xu Jiaqi brought up.


    ______


    Both of them rushed to the location that Tang Yizhou had in mind. Upon getting there, they no longer constrained themselves, because they know that there would not be a single hindrance that went between their way.


    They took their clothes off, ragged breaths and sultry little moans elicited from both parties as they struggled within each other''s touches, as if fighting to merge their bodies together and become one. Thin layers of sweat began to form on their skin, and a murky, obsessive haze of lust lurked around them.


    "Are.. you sure?" Rather than being displeased by the whole situation, the primary thing that occupied Tang Yizhou''s mind was that the woman was fully in approval of everything that was going to happen.


    ".. Ah, right, don''t tell me, Is this going to be your first time?" Xu Jiaqi learned to always ask this awkward question, since it would change how she approached things. If her partner was not experienced, then she could fully take the matters into her own hands and guide their exchange slowly before descending into madness.


    Though, remembering her experiences, even if her partner was a virgin.. Somehow, their natural instincts would be enough to give them both a good time- something that one would never forget.


    Come to think of it, compared to her from the original world.. she sure have gotten a lot wilder.


    Xu Jiaqi: Come into mommy''s hands, baby~


    System: Urk! Disgusting!

 Chapter 209 - 4.35

    Maybe it was the effects of knowing that she was protected by the System''s laws, and was free to float around many worlds to come, and not just the ones she had gone through? Maybe that instilled confidence into her. Made her comfortable with her current situation.


    When, in fact, she was just a random soul fleeting within the thin webs of time and space. Floating around with no real goal.


    What was her goal again? Why was she doing this? In order to live a day longer?


    Anyway, she still took off her clothes in a seductive manner, as if opening her own strip tease session. Her only customer being Tang Yizhou. The man, if not for preserving his last bits of honor, perhaps would''ve salivated openly at the display.


    A private moment with the man whose lap she was sitting on now. It was rather.. appealing. Like they had talked about back in the office, the suite they were in had transparent windows. Which, if peered upon from the outside, would not show what was inside. It was a one way glass, but the transparency of it was so clear that when you stood by the wide window panels, it would feel as if there was nothing separating you and what was behind the glass.


    The city view during night time was spectacular. Tall buildings, bright lights.. even though it was closer to midnight than it was to the sunset, the city seemed to be just as alive as it was in the day. People frolicking about, scattering around and having their own matters to deal with.


    Having the ability to look over this scenery while enjoying their own sensual moments was a fascinating experience. It had a beautiful intonation to it, a shared moment that was just as pure as it was filthy.


    Xu Jiaqi''s dress draped over her delicate figure loosely, and exposed her top half of the body.


    Her pink nipples were already perked up from the sheer cold breeze that passed through them from time to time. Their skin touched, playful kisses and bites starting to ensue, still waiting for the day to reach midnight and mark down Xu Jiaqi''s entry to adulthood.


    Time seemed to pass by so slowly. It was both to their liking, but also made them loathe it.


    Even if Tang Yizhou didn''t want to seem too indecent, he couldn''t help but ogle her body for a few seconds, entranced at the sight presented to him. It was a work of art, indeed. Not a single blemish was present, her skin was supple and without any imperfections.


    The fact that she stayed inside the hospital for years, not having to do anything at all damaged her stamina, but in return, her body was never exposed to any danger except for the original soul struggling with her mental issues.


    Tang Yizhou treated Xu Jiaqi like a glass sculpture, afraid that his touch would make the treasure crumble down into pieces. He felt like a wolf who was about to dine in on a pitiful rabbit, a weak and lovable creature about to be gulped down by a vile monster.


    In reality, who was the real wolf?


    In Tang Yizhou''s eyes, Xu Jiaqi was perfect at all levels. But from Xu Jiaqi''s perspective, she was the one who was about to prey on this man.


    "Should we get in the bath first? There''s still some time.. We came here too early. We planned to eat dinner first, but we ended up like this. I don''t know whether to be happy or not." Xu Jiaqi chuckled, running her fingers through the other''s thick, black strands of hair.


    "Whatever you want, milady." Tang Yizhou nuzzled his nose up to Xu Jiaqi''s own, giggling back and taking her up into a bridal carry position.


    The bath was also located near the open window. It was to further enunciate the feeling of openness and freedom, almost like supporting the notion of voyeurism for brave and curious souls. The windows could be overlaid with shadows with just one single press of a button, so one could hide the view easily.


    Luckily, the bath''s size was large enough to accommodate both of them entering. It was a jacuzzi meant to be indoors, and there were products neatly lined up next to the bathing compartment ready to be used.


    Xu Jiaqi got off Tang Yizhou''s carry and turned on the water source, making the temperature hot. She playfully looked around the products.


    "There''s not much. You don''t use this place.. It''s such a waste. Who knows since when these babies were left here to rot for?" Xu Jiaqi made a small pout. There was a tub filled with rose petals that had all withered and crumpled up into dried pieces. The scent was still rather fragrant, but the display was not as great to look at.


    "Do you want this place? I could transfer it into your possession if you wanted to." Tang Yizhou offered, wanting nothing but the woman''s happiness to be realized. She had always rejected large scaled gifts from him, too.


    No matter how hard he tried to offer her an expensive gift, she would always refuse it and even rebuke him for trying to do so in the first place. It was soon to be her birthday, but when he asked about her present a while ago, Xu Jiaqi only shook her head lightly and shamelessly said that he was the perfect present, and that she desired nothing more.


    How could he be satisfied with that? He wanted to spoil the woman, but she didn''t let him and instead tried to spoil him back. He was happy, but at the same time, it did vex him a bit.


    "Wouldn''t it be better if we.. just moved in together? Or do you not want that?" Xu Jiaqi decided to bring the matter up.


    Her following as a streamer was now relatively large, and although she hadn''t reached the platform she desired, it was about time she started to reveal clues about herself and expose those who had harmed the original in the past. It was time for action.


    And in order to fully execute everything, Tang Yizhou''s existence would be a massive help that she could appreciate with her whole heart.


    "..If you want to move in together, then I better look for a house that suits us best.. Tell me, what kind of features do you want? I''ll prepare it all, exactly to your wishes." Tang Yizhou couldn''t fully restrain his excitement when Xu Jiaqi brought this matter up.


    It made him ecstatic, his heart pumping fast at the thought of sharing the same living quarters as her, waking up to her presence being right beside him each day and obviously spending a lot more time together.


    It would be such a beautiful idea.


    "Tang Yizhou, you really are too kind to me. How could you be so selfless?" Xu Jiaqi pinched his left cheek with light power. "You''re being too generous. What if I bail on you one day? What if we don''t get along in the future? The house will just become  a place to store painful memories."


    "How mean of you, Qiqi. How can you insinuate such a sad thing right in front of me?" Tang Yizhou pretended to complain.


    "Ao! But I''m telling the truth, right? No one would know.. what happens in the future. Maybe, both of us will find a partner that suits us better, maybe we will stick with each other forever." Xu Jiaqi tickled her fingers around Tang Yizhou''s neck, making him shudder slightly. "Can you really ensure something from not happening? If, one day, I was to disappear, then.. What else can you do except for accepting that fate with an open heart?"


    "Qiqi!" Tang Yizhou was starting to become uncomfortable with the topic. It made his anxiety, the feeling of possibly losing his beloved spike up and create a pang in his heart that was hard to ignore. It reminded him of how out of reach his partner truly was, and how associating himself with her was truthfully not that good of an idea. A proposal that, as Xu Jiaqi had mentioned, might come to bite him in the back in the future.


    But he dared to take that risk, he didn''t mind all the repercussions that might result from it. One could say that he was foolish, but he still wanted to hold his stance up high no matter how they turned out.


    That''s why, he disagreed with Xu Jiaqi''s statement. He would never regret the outcome of it all.


    "..Of course, that''s all just ''what ifs''. You treat me very well. Why would I leave you behind, hm?" Xu Jiaqi sighed.


    The water was ready by the time an awkward silence covered them.


    "Come, let''s get inside the bath." Xu Jiaqi fully undressed, not a shred of shame present in her gestures as she took off her robes and dipped her dainty feet inside the bath before lowering her entire body inside of it.. A moan of pleasure escaped her mouth, the hot temperature, making all the fatigue inside her body leave and perish for good.

 Chapter 210 - 4.36

    Tang Yizhou did the same thing, intruding in the shared bath and scooting closer to Xu Jiaqi''s side to stick to her. He latched his hand over Xu Jiaqi''s shoulder boldly, tugging to pull her closer to him.


    Xu Jiaqi giggled at the man''s obvious desire, and leaned her back against his sturdy chest, folding her legs to the side and letting her long hair flow into the clean water.


    "How relaxing. Tang Yizhou, would you do me a favor and massage my shoulders?" Xu Jiaqi swept all of her hair to one side, fully exposing her lithe back to the man''s sight.


    Tang Yizhou licked his lips unconsciously, as the sight before him was akin to a dessert waiting to be eaten up.


    "Of course, it would be my pleasure to do so." Tang Yizhou replied, placing his hands on the woman''s shoulders and carefully nudging on the right spots. He started with low pressure, afraid that Xu Jiaqi would feel too much pain. He wasn''t aware of the extent of his power, so he feared hurting her.


    It wasn''t until Xu Jiaqi told him to apply more strength that he actually began to rub her flesh and draw out some sounds from the other person. Her stiff body from working, added on to the increased comfortability of the hot bath, made it all so perfect for her.


    A heaven on Earth.


    It was truly the peak of luxury. The suite utilized the best technology advancements, and the price point for the property was naturally extremely high.


    Getting to enjoy this kind of thing, Xu Jiaqi was once again reminded of her love for power and money.


    Xu Jiaqi smirked, treating the whole scenario as a spa that was exclusively held for her. The perfect man was right beside her, taking part in the experience.


    There was a speaker installed into the bath compartment area, and the controls were right in their arm''s reach. An array of song selections, ready for them to pick one out of the many tracks to play through the speaker. A gentle melody flowed into their ears, acting as the perfect background music just enough to not make it awkward between the two of them.


    Sitting together, dipping their bodies inside the bath. Most of the time, they did not speak, and instead let the soft music be the only content for their ears to enjoy. Silence was bound to be excruciating for others, but for the two of them, the serenity of everything just made it even better.


    There was no need for words to be spoken, just being with each other was enough.


    _______


    After spending some considerable time enjoying the relaxing bath, they got out and changed into nightwear. Though she was still underage, only a few hours from escaping the category, there was nothing that could prevent Xu Jiaqi from taking out bottles of alcoholic beverage that the suite provided for them, ready to be drunk up.


    Even though Tang Yizhou wanted to refuse at first, who could possibly bear to reject Xu Jiaqi once she set her mind on doing something?


    Thus, they drank. In fact, this wasn''t the first time they had drank together like this. Prior to this, Xu Jiaqi had once again coaxed him to indulge in her drinking habits.


    But that time was different.


    Today, the scene carried a different tone to it. The tension that loomed over the room couldn''t be described into words.


    ______


    The clock hit midnight. A sign for Xu Jiaqi''s age rounding up to exactly eighteen.


    The affairs that happened between them was indeed immoral by the laws of others, but both of them didn''t question such things in the slightest, rather choosing to just follow their thoughts and choices.


    Tang Yizhou had prepared a well made surprise beforehand. It was nice and simple, just as the other party wanted. If he was allowed to, he would''ve wanted to make a whole banquet to celebrate her coming of age because that was just how precious he saw her in his eyes.


    She deserved it all, the treasure to mankind that fell into his hands out of sheer luck.


    "Happy birthday, Qiqi." Tang Yizhou held Xu Jiaqi in his embrace tightly, savoring the moment that would become unforgettable for the two of them.


    Xu Jiaqi''s rise to becoming an adult, and what that would entail for the two of them and also their plans towards the future. Particularly when they talked about the villains that implicated Xu Jiaqi.


    When Tang Yizhou became enraged at the information he had found about those parties, Xu Jiaqi consoled and calmed him down, saying that everything would come to light eventually. The time span she gave, after calculating it, was a month from her eighteenth birthday.


    Who knew what the woman planned? She did not tell him about it, nor was he going to press her about the matter. He knew that it was part of her privacy, a tragedy that concerned her happiness and wellbeing. The ultimate choice should be given to her and nobody else, thus he didn''t plan to interrupt her choice.


    Even so, he couldn''t help but feel angered. By now, Song Ziyi, Zhao Xinran''s boyfriend, was also a villain in his eyes. How he treated Xu Jiaqi that day, he saw it all. Tang Yizhou realized that Xu Jiaqi did not comment about Song Ziyi in the slightest, as if he wasn''t part of her plans at all.


    From that point on, he began to cause trouble for the rash young master, making sure that his family connections would be hindered and thing wouldn''t end up very well for them. It was the only thing that he could do- the bare minimum that Xu Jiaqi accepted.


    Now that she was an adult, he wanted to see her plunge the villains into the pits of hell. Exacting her revenge, a well deserved comeback to those poisonous folks.


    "En. Thank you." Xu Jiaqi sighed in bliss as she downed a shot of strong alcohol. A red flush was already present on her face from the alcoholic content she took in, but it didn''t matter for her.


    It was a shame that this body''s alcohol tolerance was not as great as she wanted it to be. The drinks were a delicacy that would be a shame to skip over.


    However, all of that said and done.. The time had come.


    Tang Yizhou should have noticed the change in tone as well. Wasn''t this the promised day? The day that they would finally be able to.. lift up the ban that they posed to themselves.


    Xu Jiaqi stretched out her claws, preparing to dig them into the feast that was Tang Yizhou.


    She stood up from her sitting position, coming over to Tang Yizhou and carefully taking away his own wine glass, placing it gently on the table they sat by.


    Her long fingers dragged themselves against his skin, her face closing up on the man''s neck and leaving playful bites that would soon develop into marks the next time the man looked at a mirror.


    "The one and only present for my birthday.. It''s time to open up the gift, hn?" Xu Jiaqi narrowed her eyes, one hand placed on the man''s chin, the other reaching to the nether region.


    Releasing the loose ties of their night robes, Tang Yizhou''s peerless body was revealed. Replicating the event, Xu Jiaqi took off her clothes as well, making it the second time that they had stripped down like this in just a few hours.


    This time, however, things would escalate further than just an innocent, happy bath bonding session.


    Xu Jiaqi pressed her soft body against his own, widening up her legs in order to allow access to movement. The sofa they were sitting at was made from a particularly smooth material, wide enough for them to maneuver around with their movements.


    The cold breeze of air hit Tang Yizhou''s manhood. The little guy had been rising from the moment this entire scene began, because he fully knew what was about to happen. His breath hitched as he felt her fingers wrap around the delicate organ and pump it up and down gently.


    "Do you remember when I said that I was dangerous from the moment we first met?" Xu Jiaqi laughed, her voice sounding like a gentle chime of bells. "I''m going to show you why."


    "Qiqi, no matter how dangerous you are.. I''m willing to go through it all." Tang Yizhou held Xu Jiaqi''s arms tightly. "I will accept every single inch of you.. I''m yours to have, dear."


    If the past Tang Yizhou was told by someone that he would be speaking these cheesy lines in the near future, he would probably jump in disbelief and claim bullshit. But right now, in this pristine, private moment, Tang Yizhou''s mind was filled with Xu Jiaqi and her presence alone.


    Never once had he thought that he would one day experience these kinds of emotions, but he did.


    A clear obsession tracing a path in his life that he would never be able to turn back from.

 Chapter 211 - 4.37 [M]

    "..How foolish, but alright." Xu Jiaqi sighed in distress. How can one make such promises? In her judgement, it was the same as spitting lies, even if they assured that there would be no such things.


    Love was.. too fickle for someone like her.


    Xu Jiaqi wasted no time and brazenly played around with Tang Yizhou''s cock, her fingers rubbing the tip of its head mischievously.


    Tang Yizhou was very well endowed, and Xu Jiaqi knew that he was much larger than the average size. Unconsciously, she licked her lips, thinking up of every single method she could use to make this hard member and its owner go even crazier.


    "Wait.." Tang Yizhou called out. "Let me make you feel good first."


    "..Ao?" Xu Jiaqi''s brows rose with interest. She traced her fingers up from the manhood, touching his abdomen and continuing to go up until her slender hand was on top of his sturdy chest. "What are you going to do, I wonder?"


    "You''ll see if you let me proceed with my plan." He replied. "It''s your birthday, after all. How can I let you get me off first?"


    "..I am interested to see where this would go.." Xu Jiaqi pulled his head down for a light peck on his lips that escalated into a furious kiss, clashing their tongues and plunging it into each other''s mouth. As they made out, Xu Jiaqi noticed that his hand was no longer on her back, but rather had gone down, sliding to her hips and thighs.


    His fingers trailed on her skin, until it reached her now wet cave. His thumb rubbed on her clitoris, as his other fingers pried open the flaps that covered her hole. He started off light and gentle, before he inserted two fingers inside her dripping hole, making her insides tighten up over the intrusive digits.


    Tang Yizhou broke off from the passionate kiss, as he focused on pleasuring her. He took a kneel, lowering his head down and gulping a mouthful of saliva before removing his fingers and replacing it with his tongue.


    He licked away every drop that Xu Jiaqi''s body produced. He continued lapping his tongue, biting and nibbling at the tender skin. He used one hand to keep Xu Jiaqi''s legs pried open, sticking his face between them and the other hand gently caressing the side of her thighs.


    Tang Yizhou was gentle, and yet so voracious. Like a beast whose carnal desires were overflowing, and yet had a sense of rationality derived from his feeling towards the beloved one now writhing under his moves.


    He didn''t stop, as Xu Jiaqi did nothing but whisper words of encouragement to the man who was doing his best. His knowledge was, not shamefully, acquired from proper research. He wanted to make their first intercourse served in the best way, and he did deliver the results of his long overdue homework.


    Continuing to stimulate and eat her out, Tang Yizhou heard all of the small praises that Xu Jiaqi uttered out of reflex, making him even braver with each passing second.


    He alternated between using his mouth and his fingers, using all of his knowledge to bring the woman to the peak of his shameless plan- an orgasmic reaction.


    He imagined her crying out after being overwhelmed, and it made him even more aroused.


    "I''m.. coming- ngh,"


    Tang Yizhou''s touches almost sent her over the edge. She knew that there was something inside of her waiting to burst out any second now under the man''s play.


    Xu Jiaqi placed her hand on top of the man''s head, her fingers tightly gripping at his hair. She tried her best at muffling her moans- ones that sounded like the finest tunes to Tang Yizhou''s ears. Hearing her cries just made him even more enthusiastic, propelling him to go even harsher with more force to draw out more erotic moans from the other.


    He licked and sucked her private part as if it was the most delicious thing ever. Her nether region had now been drenched by a mixture of saliva and her own fluids, and her clitoris was the color of red, slightly swollen after much teasing from the man. Xu Jiaqi''s innately sensitive body made it hard for her to resist the man''s advancements, even though she used to


    Xu Jiaqi squirmed, wanting to inch away from his touches. And yet, Tang Yizhou''s firm grip kept her from moving out of his reach and support. Her back arched as she felt his long fingers hit a sweet spot inside her.


    "Oh, God. Fuck me..." Xu Jiaqi sighed, waves of pleasure rushing through her body to the point that she felt like she was going to faint. Pushed over the boundaries of pleasure, sensations that she didn''t even know were possible.


    She thought that her previous bodies were already sensitive enough, but this body was just built differently. It was like.. right, as if it was created solely to enjoy sexual advances precisely like this.


    She reacted to each and every single one of his touch without exception. Tang Yizhou originally did not have that high of a confidence, but he let himself follow his heart and intuition. He sunk his fingers deep inside her hole, stretching the flesh out and loosening up the tightness.


    "Ahh!" Xu Jiaqi yelped out, finally reaching the climax of her orgasm.


    "Delicious." Tang Yizhou licked his lips, holding her dearly. "How did it feel?"


    "..You did good." Xu Jiaqi was honest. The man did send her over the fences and made her dizzy with lust. She wanted to be filled up so desperately now that neither his fingers or his tongue was inside of her. She ached for his member to pierce her insides.


    His breath was erratic and heavy, as his hard member was also giving him a hard time down there. It was fully erect, his veins popping out of the large sized length. He was as hard as a rock. The more Xu Jiaqi looked at it, the more she wanted to just engulf it down and take it inside of her.


    "Let me.. take care of you too." Xu Jiaqi reached her hand out and gripped at the base of his cock, circling it before beginning to make light pumps up and down, her eyes fixed upon Tang Yizhou''s expression constantly.


    The man did not refuse.


    "Tang Yizhou, keep your eyes on me." Xu Jiaqi spat on his hard cock, wetting it up to pump the raging member even faster. She gently sucked on the tip, using her tongue to poke into the hole and swiping over it.


    The man trembled under her ministrations. Sometimes, his hips would jerk forwards without warning as a result of Tang Yizhou not being able to fully control his bodily reflexes. As Xu Jiaqi took him inside her mouth fully, each jerk would make the tip of his cock hit the back of her throat.


    It was slightly uncomfortable, but it was worth it hearing his silent screams come out.


    After she finished getting his tension up even further, she released the member from her mouth, only for it to create a loud popping noise.


    "I don''t want you to come just yet, unfortunately." Xu Jiaqi stood back up from her servicing position, keeping one of her hand on the member as she smirked. "I want you to.."


    "Enter me." Xu Jiaqi ended her words on a whisper, enough for Tang Yizhou to hear.


    _________


    "I''m ready for you.. Tang Yizhou, don''t be too worried about my body."


    In fact, Xu Jiaqi out of all people would know just how frail her current body was, and how sensitive it was. Actual intercourse would definitely send her over the edge many times, but she didn''t fear losing her mind over it and instead wanted to chase that land of euphoria.


    Tang Yizhou debated for one last time before finally solving his matter of integrity. He positioned the tip of his cock against her entrance, her flaps separated by the hard member.


    Slowly, but surely, he began to stretch the hole wide open, letting the walls of flesh welcome his cock.


    Several cut off screams was ripped out of Xu Jiaqi''s throat. She kept telling the man to continue, even amidst his wavering heart over how she was reacting.


    The member fully bottomed out inside her, filling her up like she originally intended for it to be. A mixture of pain and pleasure hit her and made her unable to tell from reality and her dazed senses.


    "..Does it hurt badly? I''m sorry, Qiqi.." Tang Yizhou took a deep breath. Xu Jiaqi''s suffocating tightness was also agonizing for him. He was massaged by the crevices of her walls, so nice and snugly fit that it was even rather hard for him to pull backwards at all.


    "No.. I''m fine. It''s just a bit uncomfortable, it will get better." Xu Jiaqi shushed him.


    She truly didn''t expect that her body would be this hard to work with, but she would make it.

 Chapter 212 - 4.38 [M]

    As much as the two parties wanted to continue forth right away, Xu Jiaqi''s body needed some time to adjust to Tang Yizhou''s huge weapon.


    A light aroma of blood floated around the room since it was this body''s first time. Compared to her other bodies, the blood, which came with a stinging pain was much more severe. More tears slipped out of her eyes as she gritted her teeth, her hands clawing at the sofa.


    It was only after a minute or two passed, with them keeping their still states, that the pain began to recede. This was before Tang Yizhou moved. Once he started pumping his full length into her, what would happen?


    "..You can move now." Xu Jiaqi moaned out, feeling the member pulsating inside of her and filling her up to the brim.


    Tang Yizhou groaned out, his voice low. His member was entirely inside Xu Jiaqi, the warm and tight cave making it hard for him to not just go ballistic and move his hips like a depraved animal- screwing over any common sense and throwing it away.


    A voice rang inside the deepest parts of his heart to keep her safe at all times. And yet, this foreign, deranged set of thoughts was breaking him from within. It took everything to dull down his moves, scared that he would hurt her.


    Tang Yizhou did as Xu Jiaqi said after receiving the permission, starting to rock his hips back and forth. Xu Jiaqi continued to release muffled moans, and the sight of her trying to hide her reactions were just as stimulating as the pleasure he felt.


    Her warmth was so addictive. Her taste. Her beauty, down to her charms.


    Everything. Everything about her captivated him. She was the most perfect woman on Earth, and he wouldn''t accept any other opinion that said otherwise about the matter.


    It felt like he was being served the best full course meal in the world, and he was the hungriest man on Earth tasting that heavenly cuisine.


    He even began to fear that he would lose all of his senses to this constricting warmth.


    Tang Yizhou cupped her ample breasts, squeezing it and flicking her nipples as his shallow, yet fast thrusts continued.


    Noticing that Xu Jiaqi was starting to slowly get into the motion more and more, he began to gradually speed up his thrusts, until he was fully bottoming out inside of her and pulling up to the hilt- before slamming the entirety of his length in one go right after.


    Xu Jiaqi was, just like Tang Yizhou, beginning to drown in this pit of pleasure. She cried in a small voice each time she Tang Yizhou thrusted into her, reaching the deepest parts that she didn''t think could be possible.


    The sounds of their skin slapping against each other. The symphony they created with their contrasting voices. The sultry melody that played in the background, as the view of the city night greeted them from the side.


    A fever dream. This entire thing, it felt like a fever dream.


    Their minds were deluded, and the only thing that occupied their minds was how to reach an even higher stage of pleasure.


    Like a broken tape record, Xu Jiaqi cried out his name over and over, no longer holding back her sounds. There were no chances for her to do so, as she had already fallen deep into this rabbit hole. What was shame? Being shameless was her specialty, and that logic applied this time as well.


    "More.." Xu Jiaqi looked at him with a delirious gaze. She was deluded by the influx of sensations that attacked her brain, and couldn''t think of anything else other than Tang Yizhou and her need to be filled up, fucked hard to the point of being silly.


    She craved him, craved more action, her desires spiking through the roof and not seeming to come down in the slightest. If anything, the more they dragged it out, the more her excitement rose.


    The more her core became itchy. Unbearable.


    She needed something to scratch the itch, and there could only be one perfect method to do that.


    Even though she was quite tired, she pushed herself to get back up and pull Tang Yizhou''s face down to initiate a kiss. Her hands went around his large body, her nails beginning to act naughty and scratch Tang Yizhou''s back, leaving marks on his otherwise clean skin.


    "Please- Nn!" Xu Jiaqi moaned out. "More, give me more, harder.."


    Tang Yizhou heard Xu Jiaqi''s pleas, and something inside him seemed to snap. The last bits of his conscience broke, and after meeting Xu Jiaqi''s eyes and receiving a nod from her, who was constantly begging for more, he no longer held back.


    Lust consumed the two of them. Tang Yizhou held down Xu Jiaqi''s waist, and pried open her legs wider, plunging inside of her hard and fast. Each time he entered her, went out, and came back in again, the itch inside Xu Jiaqi was scratched and her cries escalated so loud that if not for the excellent soundproofing technology the place had, she would''ve definitely made enough noise to trespass to more than two floors below them.


    Xu Jiaqi wriggled under Tang Yizhou''s hip thrusts, not being able to find a proper support to hold on to. Her long nails scratched away at the furniture below them, with enough power that was sure to leave visible marks at the end of everything. Her unbridled moans became even louder as Tang Yizhou continued his pace in an erratic manner, hitting just the right spots to stimulate Xu Jiaqi''s nerves to the gates of heaven.


    "I''m close.. Qiqi, I''ll finish outside, don''t clench up on me too hard.." Tang Yizhou kissed her and nipped her neck, leaving small bites on the skin and teasing her further so she could also enjoy her sweet release.


    "I''m- I''m also near, hng, Yizhou," Xu Jiaqi''s words were unclear and disrupted due to their rocky movements. "Finish.. You can finish inside of me..! It''s.. ah! It''s okay,"


    "Fill me up, fill me with your warm seed, don''t control yourself," Xu Jiaqi said. It wouldn''t have crossed her mind that she was actually capable of spouting this kind of words.


    So filthy and unbridled, masked with a heavy amount of lust that both of them fell under.


    Tang Yizhou- his breath ragged and close to his ejaculation, finally desecrated all of his common sense.


    So what if he finished inside? If she got pregnant with his babies, he would take responsibility. He would become a great father, one that could support his family. He would be able to keep his eyes close on Xu Jiaqi and would eternally fend off any sort of danger that threatened her.


    She wanted it, and he shared the same sentiment, only multiple times her amount.


    Tang Yizhou knew that the end was drawing near, and couldn''t maintain his pace anymore. His whole being was messy.


    "Qiqi, I''ll fill you up," Tang Yizhou whispered beside her ear.


    With one last thrust, he emptied out the contents of his balls inside of her. Strains of cum, along with the spurting sounds that accompanied it, painted Xu Jiaqi''s walls.


    Xu Jiaqi shivered, clamping down even further on him as she felt the hot, white liquid get injected inside of her.


    The two of them were both not yet satisfied. Their sex drive propelled them to crave more even though their muscles were already tired.


    Their eyes locked together, and they immediately realized that they were thinking of the same thing.


    "Round two?" Xu Jiaqi asked, her voice a bit hoarse from the amount of screaming she did.


    Tang Yizhou was slightly bashful, but he nodded lightly. He too, wished for more.


    They were far from over.


    With ease, Tang Yizhou lifted Xu Jiaqi''s whole body up. The woman''s hole tensed up at the sudden movement, her hands circling his neck as she looked at him in the eyes, wondering why he stood up. His member continued to be encased within her as he walked inside the main bedroom, wanting to give Xu Jiaqi a better, more comfortable place to fuck in.


    With each step he made, his cock, which was starting to harden up once again, moved inside her. Albeit not being a full thrust, it still made a few lovely sounds escape out of Xu Jiaqi''s mouth. She buried her head into Tang Yizhou''s shoulder, embracing him tightly.


    Tang Yizhou didn''t waste any further time. He walked to the nearby bedroom without further ado, and threw Xu Jiaqi''s body to the soft bed, pinning her down with his strong arms. He locked lips with her, as his hips began to move again. Dirty squelching sounds being summoned by the friction between their genitals.


    "Does this feel better? I worried that you might be hurt if we continue there. The sofa isn''t the softest place to boot. You couldn''t hold on to anything, too.. Now, you''re free to rip out the sheets if you wanted to.." Tang Yizhou kneaded her breast lightly, playing with her puckered nipples as he questioned.

 Chapter 213 - 4.39 [M]

    Xu Jiaqi widened her eyes slightly, realizing his intentions which made her heart warm up. Even as they were sucked into this whirlpool of desire, he still thought about her wellbeing.


    "How kind of you." Xu Jiaqi giggled. The corners of her eyes were reddish, as streams of tears had accidentally escaped her eyes when she was going crazy out of the pleasure.


    "It''s only a given. It''s what I should do." Tang Yizhou grabbed a stray pillow from the side and gave it to Xu Jiaqi to be used as a leverage point.


    Xu Jiaqi took a deep breath. When they were fucking, she didn''t have the chance to have a good breathing regulation. She was thrown around and mercilessly pierced, hitching her breath counts and sending her to a whole different plane of sensations at the lack of oxygen travelling to her brain.


    If they had just continued doing it and didn''t stop to take a rest, this frail body would''ve passed out long before they finished their second round.


    Xu Jiaqi was slightly disappointed since they couldn''t have a clear view of the night sky anymore, but the bed was much more comfortable, had a wider space from them to roll on, and had actual places for her to grip on instead of scarring Tang Yizhou''s back.


    Not that the man minded it.


    They both took several sips of water to quench their thirst before beginning to entangle themselves once again, getting rough with each other much faster than before.


    Tang Yizhou positioned himself in front of her entrance once more and pushed into her. She was still loosened up from their previous round, so the start this time was much smoother.


    "Ah!" Xu Jiaqi winced, feeling the empty void lurking inside her be filled once again. Her hole was plugged up nice and thorough by Tang Yizhou''s rod.


    She was definitely sore, but she still craved more. More of his touches, his kisses, his warmth. And the man longed for the same thing.


    Tang Yizhou began to thrust inside her, starting out with slow and steady pushes before escalating into a much harsher take. His balls slapped against her skin as his momentum caused Xu Jiaqi to hold on to dear life, trying to grasp at anything that fell upon her grip''s control.


    This time, they didn''t just stick to one position, but instead could have more freedom in whichever stance they decided to do it in because of the comfier bed. The man''s hard length reached even deeper when he fucked her from behind, sending strong impulses down Xu Jiaqi''s brain and leaving her a moaning mess.


    Finishing inside her for the second time, Tang Yizhou let Xu Jiaqi relax and regain her calm. He peppered kisses on her face, down to the neck, further on to her body, and lastly, placing his large palm on top of her stomach.


    He was still inside of her, as he hadn''t pulled out yet because of Xu Jiaqi''s own request to stay there. As he touched her stomach area, he felt Xu Jiaqi tighten up harshly, so it was clear that the place he pressed on was very sensitive.


    "Don''t-" Xu Jiaqi let out a small whine, followed by a troubled moan.


    Tang Yizhou found it rather interesting that this sort of thing was here, and made a little grin before he touched it a second time. He felt the walls of flesh surrounding his cock contract and tremble.


    Letting out an awkward laugh because a new wave of pleasure was sent down his way, Tang Yizhou tried to pull out from the cave, but his movements were stopped by Xu Jiaqi, who lowered her head and grabbed his arm tightly.


    "...Now you''ve done it." Xu Jiaqi looked at the other with glaring eyes, licking her lips before letting his length slip out of her and wrestling for control.


    She pushed his shoulders down, wanting to be on top of him this time. As the man let her take control and do whatever she wanted, Xu Jiaqi pinned Tang Yizhou and bit his neck with a little more force than usual. Tang Yizhou pursed his lips, letting out a small sound as he received the playful bite.


    "Are you a puppy? How can you be so cute?" Tang Yizhou teased, patting Xu Jiaqi''s head and rubbing her face despite the expression she showed.


    "Are you sure about that?" Xu Jiaqi grinned. Her sneaky hand fell onto Tang Yizhou''s cock once more, stroking it gently, wanting to awaken the resting beast again. "I''ll make you regret it."


    "This time, it''s not for you to enjoy. I''ll have my own set of fun. It won''t end as prettily for you." Xu Jiaqi smirked. "Are you up for it, or do you want to back out?"


    Tang Yizhou gulped a mouthful of saliva, knowing that what Xu Jiaqi implied was that he would be subjected to probably a series of interesting torture methods lest he refused.


    But how could he? It was not only the request of his beloved, but also a tempting offer in itself. He wanted to see what she had in store to offer, and where this could escalate to.


    They were already two rounds deep, but they didn''t feel exhausted yet because of the adrenaline that pumped them up.


    "Like you said.. I''m your birthday present. I''m all yours, Qiqi." Tang Yizhou smiled, his eyes dazzling as he stared at the woman hovering over him with wonder.


    Xu Jiaqi''s eyes slightly narrowed, letting out a tiny chuckle as she giggled in delight, excited as to what she could do and what she was about to do.


    Nonetheless, Xu Jiaqi ended up performing some unspeakable and questionable acts towards Tang Yizhou, to which the man wholeheartedly accepted all of her advancements. Xu Jiaqi did make sure to constantly ask his thoughts and how he felt, reminding him that a simple word of refusal would be the only thing it took for them to stop this dangerous play right away.


    They fully stopped after going at it for five rounds, their stamina and adrenaline carrying them through the entire action before collapsing and falling deep asleep.


    ______


    The next day- Well, actually, it was still the same day since they fucked into the following morning. Xu Jiaqi woke up in the afternoon, way later than her usual rise and shine schedule.


    She woke up to see that her bed was empty and her partner was gone. Her first assumption was that he had left for work, but then she heard some sounds come from the door.


    Still sleepy, tired, and sore all over, Xu Jiaqi wasn''t sure if she was going to wake up at all today and contemplated skipping this day entirely, even though it was her birthday.


    Sighing, she clumped up and tucked herself back into the blanket, deciding to try to catch some more sleep before seeing if she could even continue this day in the slightest.


    She heard footsteps headed towards her room, and smelled a light waft of food. An alluring aroma that made her stomach- which had been laden with hunger after so many rounds of intense bed exercises and needed to be consoled.


    "Qiqi, wake up for a bit, you need to eat or you could get sick." Tang Yizhou spoke with care, pulling down the blanket covering Xu Jiaqi.


    Tang Yizhou brought a light, yet delicious meal.


    Her hunger was satiated once she gobbled up all the dishes, and a wave of drowsiness hit her once more, making her loosen up her grip and fall back onto the bed.


    "..I''m tired." Xu Jiaqi complained. "Like, really tired. My whole body is uncomfortable, even though it felt good while we were still doing it. I really shouldn''t have pushed my limits.. How can I walk if this is the state I end up in?"


    "I''ll give you a thorough massage." Tang Yizhou giggled at the woman''s words and opened up the blanket halfway, revealing her supple back, which he had seen time and time again yesterday.


    He took a random bottle of relaxing oil that was part of the bathing treatments and poured it into his hands, before beginning to rub it over her body. He gently kneaded on her flesh, making sure to soothe the muscles and ease the pain she felt.


    Xu Jiaqi, receiving the touches, felt grateful that Tang Yizhou was this caring and let out several sounds of relief. After her whole body was massaged, she felt appeased and had a peaceful mind.


    So peaceful that it would take one second before she fell asleep once more.


    "I''ll go back to sleep..." Xu Jiaqi said. "I genuinely don''t think that I can do anything else other than that for the rest of this day."


    "Then it''s fine. You can do whatever you want," Tang Yizhou smiled widely as he saw the woman retreating back into her blanket fort. Adding to her comfort, Tang Yizhou went to the cabinet and took out several other comfortable pillows, throwing it towards Xu Jiaqi who added it to her pillow fortress and strengthened it.


    "Good night.. I mean, afternoon? Evening? I don''t know, honestly.." Xu Jiaqi didn''t even know what she was saying, her mind was a mess. She closed her eyes and fell asleep in an instant.


    "Sleep tight, mi amor.." Tang Yizhou whispered, patting Xu Jiaqi once more before leaving the room and going to do other stuffs.

 Chapter 214 - 4.40

    When Xu Jiaqi woke up for the second time, Tang Yizhou really had left for good. He made sure to leave a sticky note written by hand on the coffee table.


    The note conveyed his reason for leaving, that was to attend to some company affairs. However, he also added on the fact that he would come back here right after he was done with everything, and told Xu Jiaqi to please stay there if she wished to do so.


    Xu Jiaqi sat down after fetching herself a glass of water from the kitchen, contemplating the choices offered to her. Should she just stay with Tang Yizhou, since she planned to begin using him to the fullest now that she had turned into an adult.


    She wanted to hurry and give the Zhao family a little surprise. Was she prepared? Extremely.


    It should be said that she had worked extremely hard to come up to where she was right now. Compared to what she initially thought, streaming was harsher and took a heavier toll on her mind.


    Her streaming career, which had skyrocketed after she was exposed to mainstream media, with her name making headlines about how she was so willful with her spending and seemed to have no shame at all.


    Of course, the fans that supported her didn''t really care about the morals working behind it and was just there to look at Her Majesty flaunting her wealth in addition to her entertaining persona. They frequently came back to visit, because Xu Jiaqi had a lot of unique qualities to herself as a streamer.


    Within Xu Jiaqi''s crowd, there was always one name that stood about others. It was the same man she slept with earlier, Tang Yizhou- who used the name [The King Wants to Rest].


    The amount of money that this man threw to her just for simply existing and opening up her stream became more and more ridiculous with each day she started. She was talking about thousands of dollars worth of gifts- the first tier and most expensive gifts that could possibly be given to a streamer in Heaven''s Court.


    These special, extremely expensive gifts would cause special effects to appear on the streamer''s channel, and also a widespread announcement throughout the entire website. This could be implemented because these gifts were literally that exclusive, and one wouldn''t even dare to touch the buy button on these rewards. Who would be so brainless as to spend such a large amount of money on a streamer?


    Naturally, the answer to that question was Tang Yizhou, who didn''t have a shred of common sense as he continuously hurled money over to her through this method. Thus, he had firmly occupied the spot of Xu Jiaqi''s top fan, besting the other competitors by a landslide.


    It was actually quite funny whenever she saw his name on the leaderboards with millions upon millions of fan points accredited to his name. In fact, within her viewer base, this oil lord had already grown to become a running joke.


    Whenever he paid a visit, bringing huge gifts, the entire chat would riot, praising his existence and praying in a joking manner for some luck and droplets of wealth to be shared.


    However, as these gifts meant that her channel name would have to consistently pop up throughout the whole website from time to time, it also meant that negative attention would eventually be drawn towards her as well.


    Haters that came to attack her, ones that degraded her with insults, people who didn''t have anything better to do other than cursing a streamer they have never met at all. These people accused her of being an arrogant young lady who was blind to the ways of the world, and said that she was heartless because she was throwing away the money for causes that weren''t all that great.


    As the influx of hatred came around, her fanbase, which had grown up to the millions, started to counterattack and protect Xu Jiaqi as well. They rebutted those claims by reminding them that Xu Jiaqi''s money was hers and only hers. Not to mention, these haters were so stricken with envy and jealousy that they ignored the streamer''s good deeds!


    The ones who liked her were just as much as the ones who disapproved of her ways, and those who defended her were naturally just as many as those who came to smear dirt on her name.


    So what if she decided to spend it all? Was it wrong to do so? Xu Jiaqi might not have the best spending habits, but her character was clear, and she was always frank no matter what the subject was. This kind of transparent character was one of the factors that made her fanbase shoot up.


    Not to mention, Xu Jiaqi did have streams catered to noble clauses. She helped many in need just because she had the money, but she didn''t actively publicize her deeds and chose to keep it silent- things that she didn''t share with the fanbase, but still had her name printed on the certificates they gave her.


    Xu Jiaqi didn''t care to be pretentious or any of that useless stuff, she was just herself and it was enough. More than enough for her fanbase to form.


    The platform was there for her to stand on. Whatever she uploaded to the internet nowadays could gather millions of views in one day.


    In fact, Xu Jiaqi was sure that the Zhao family had actually seen one of her contents in one way or another. Only, she didn''t know how they felt after that, and how their expression was looking at Xu Jiaqi treading on her path to grow and become the most influential streamer in Heaven''s Court.


    A title that little would dare to think about.


    Seeing Xu Jiaqi so successful, she wondered how they would react, but at same time, she found it to be a shame that she wasn''t able to see their close up reactions without any


    Other than the platform, Xu Jiaqi''s evidences were now all well sorted and ready to go, ready to be used in court.


    Evidences from the series of frauds they committed.. up to the most incriminating piece of evidence out of all of them- the Zhao couple''s involvement in both the kidnapping of Xu Jiaqi along with the Xu couple''s death.


    That''s right.


    The famous, superb couple that brought a storm to the musical world was not killed merely due to an unfortunate accident.. but rather because of a certain duo''s vicious and poisonous heart stemming to an elaborate plan that costed two lives, and a child''s destruction.


    In the first place, Xu Jiaqi already found it to be extremely weird that all of these unfortunate events could happen to the Xu family in such a short span of time. Also, right away after the incidents happened, this family was quick to swoop in and play the hero card, saying that they treasured the Xu family like their second family and was distraught by their deaths.. and so on.


    In truth, no matter how cliche it was, the correct incident began when the Zhao couple saw how happy the Xus were, how wealthy they were, and how inferior the Zhaos felt whenever they saw these two people crossing their line of vision.


    Seeds of hatred, anger, and jealousy bloomed inside their heart, leading to them orchestrating all of these maddening schemes.


    It was unsightly to look at the evidences. How could this not have been discovered earlier? Were the officials being paid to shut up? If not, then how could all of this be possible? The Xu family''s downfall was not just a small matter, but rather news that broke into the headlines.


    The investigation for such a case, what kind of joke were they trying to play if they couldn''t even dig up these information during the search?


    Xu Jiaqi was reasonably pissed off. The fact that her original body''s tormented feelings still somewhat lingered within her did not help in the slightest.


    She pursed her lips as she opened her box of makeup.


    It was time to cause the first storm. The whole saga.. shall be started now.


    The Saga detailing the downfall of the Zhao family, forever and after.


    She picked up her phone, scrolled through her archives, and selected one phone number to dial to right after seeing her name.


    Xu Jiaqi pressed several buttons before a ringing sound was heard, indicating that the call was going through. After several rings, it was finally picked up by the opposite side.


    "..Hello?" A familiar voice greeted her.


    The one she called was precisely Zhao Xinran, the fake lady who managed to fool everybody and even snag a boyfriend on top of her mountain of lies.


    Zhao Xinran would be the first one she notified. Of course, she ahd to pay special attention to this caretaker of hers, right?


    Xu Jiaqi hummed lightly as she giggled.

 Chapter 215 - 4.41

    "Hello? Who is it?" Upon seeing the foreign caller ID, Zhao Xinran had a bad feeling about this call all of a sudden, but she picked it after having the ringtone sound out for a couple seconds.


    Xu Jiaqi huffed her breath lightly, preparing and polishing her acting gears.


    "Let''s see.. It''s been months since we last talked, yeah?" Xu Jiaqi spoke playfully. Within her hands were all the materials that she needed to bring this villain family down to the ground and stomp them to the depths of despair.


    "Who- who are you?" Zhao Xinran already had an inkling on who this caller was, but she refused to believe the truth and wanted to deny it.


    "Of course.. I am someone that you are ve~ry familiar with. Your sweet, little angel, Xu Jiaqi." She replied with glee. Come on, don''t tell me, you''ve forgotten all about me? How can you wrong me like that, hm?"


    "I-I don''t know you! You have the wrong number!" Zhao Xinran refuted, wanting to shirk away, but at the same time- she couldn''t bring herself to hang up.


    What if this self-proclaimed angel wanted to impart something grave to her? She had to be careful! What did she want to tell her?


    Xu Jiaqi rolled her eyes, thinking that Zhao Xinran''s acting was so terrible that it was beyond funny.


    "Oh, don''t worry. Even if you don''t want to acknowledge the truth, I will make sure that injustice will be repaid with proper punishment. After all, we can''t exactly have trash like you roam around the society, can we?" Xu Jiaqi giggled.


    "Zhao Xinran, I hope you didn''t think that my intention for calling you was to sit around and cry in distress... What I have in store for you, especially your parents- is much more vibrant than what you might think. Just sit still.. and wait as your life crumbles down. You can''t escape, sweetheart,"


    Rather than using foul language or violence, Xu Jiaqi was the type of person to exact revenge in the most practical and straightforward way- ruining their lives according to how harsh their wrongdoings were.


    Of course, she wouldn''t willingly bend her back over a small case, but if it was a poisonous leech like Zhao Xinran at hand, she would gladly deliver the gift of retribution to the vixen. Planning such an elaborate case, it was  meant for nothing more than to satisfy her own perfectionist attitude, though.


    Just like that, without waiting for a second longer, Xu Jiaqi hung up the call and left Zhao Xinran, who was on the opposite of the telephone line trembling in fear and worry. How could she not react like that?


    The future that she had paved for herself, was it really going to be taken away by Xu Jiaqi?


    She was a well functioning member of society, and had a lot of friends. It wasn''t like she didn''t already know who Xu Jiaqi was. That face.. That beautiful face that she had seen hundreds of times in the past..


    When one of her friends showed her a picture of a streamer, going by the name of [Her Majesty''s Abode], Zhao Xinran immediately recognized who the woman in question was. It was clearly Xu Jiaqi, the one who her family wronged in order to get ahead in life for themselves.


    Also, she had slightly seen her content, and heard her name be mentioned multiple times. Obviously, she never said anything about her relations with the woman and just acted like she didn''t know anything when Xu Jiaqi was mentioned, but it still bother her from time to time.


    The fact that Xu Jiaqi was able to spend money like breathing air vexed her at first, but she was still confident at that time.


    She consoled herself by thinking that the money she was spending so willfully was part of the consolation money that her father sadly had to give out to her because it would save them from a great deal of trouble, but now that Xu Jiaqi was coming out to her and saying those frightening warnings..


    Should she worry about this a bit more? She had a bad feeling about it, something that told her that she shouldn''t shrug this case off. Xu Jiaqi.. This woman had changed.


    She still remembered Xu Jiaqi''s birthday, and recalled that she had just turned into an adult. Could that be a sign? With her rise in popularity, and her confident, assured way of talking about ruining her life..


    She bit her nails and thought carefully as looked at the standing mirror showing her reflection in front of her. Seeing her pretty face, her clean look, and expensive apparels, she was convinced.


    No matter how small the threat was, she shouldn''t brush it off. This was the life she chose to live, a life that was going to be filled with thorns no matter what.


    She was bound to be the victor. She had to be the victor!


    She was going to dispose of everything that stood in her way.


    Picking up her phone once again, she dialed another number and waited for it to be picked up anxiously. Thankfully, it was picked up right away.


    She immediately put up a farce. To fool her benefactor, she pretended to weep pitifully and mutter his name repeatedly. Naturally, the man was worried, and asked her what was wrong without haste.


    "Xinran! What- who wronged you? Why are you crying like this?! I will make sure that they will disappear from the face of the Earth! Just tell me who it was!" The man shouted with a loud voice, his words laced with anger.


    "Xuan ge, can you help me with something? I want you to.. look up someone''s identity, their information, everything.. And if possible-" Zhao Xinran hesitated for a split second, thinking twice on whether she was being too hasty or not. However, after considering it multiple times, she finally made a decision.


    It was Xu Jiaqi''s fault!


    She had already obtained the happy life that she wanted, why did this bitch have to crawl back up again like an annoying cockroach and try to ruin everything for her?!


    She had to calm down. She had done everything perfectly up until now.


    It wasn''t her first time doing this. It wasn''t her first time acting flawlessly, and it wouldn''t be her last.


    Song Ziyuan was infatuated with her because of the persona that she made, the one she fabricated up until now. The man she was talking to right now, Yu Xuan, also fell using the same way.


    As long as this hindrance gets removed, and she continues on with her act..


    It would be fine. Her life would continue normally.


    Zhao Xinran grinned devilishly, a deranged look surfacing up.


    "Xuan ge, could you make it so that she wouldn''t appear in front of me again?" Zhao Xinran cried. "I''m really tired.. I can''t do this anymore, Xuan ge.. Am I being too evil? I really wish that.. life would just stop, so I can rest."


    "X-Xinran! Don''t think of such bad thoughts!" Yu Xuan was shocked with her statements and immediately sought to appease her. "Just say the name and provide me with her basic information. I will make sure that.. your wish would come true."


    Having received such words, Zhao Xinran was beyond ecstatic. As expected, she wasn''t wrong to latch onto this golden thigh as well apart from Song Ziyuan.


    Song Ziyuan was much more skeptical with everything that happened around him. If she wasn''t careful, then their relationship could fall apart farther than what they currently shared.


    She wasn''t sure why, but recently, Song Ziyuan hadn''t been acting like usual. He could be seen in a haggard state often, and his emotional spikes had also been worsening. He used to act lovingly towards her, even though he would still have some off moments.


    However, his behavior had begun to escalate recently for the worse.


    She didn''t dare to ask any further, and still maintained her act as a lovely girl, giving him support in every way she could. Acting her part, and playing to his tune, making sure that he would only see her considerate side.


    Even so, it was a little bit tiring. She felt like it was too unfair! How could he be so self-absorbed?


    She was supposed to be his girlfriend, but even Yu Xuan treats her better than Song Ziyuan! She knew that Song Ziyuan and Yu Xuan were on different levels. She chose the former man because he was much better and would give her better qualities in life.


    But with the way he was treating her.. It made her worry for her future, to be honest.


    Xu Jiaqi: Trash are meant to stick with other trash~ It''s your fate to begin with, little trash :D


    Unknown Man: Yes, baby. It is just as you said. Now, let''s go obliterate them and put them in their place.. I''ve been waiting for this moment to come.


    Xu Jiaqi: ...? Who is this man, how did he infiltrate into my thought corner?


    System: AAAAA!!!!!

 Chapter 216 - 4.42

    It was strange. She was certain that something was happening behind her back with her boyfriend. Day by day, his condition deteriorated, and the sunny guy who chased her for weeks just to get her affection was no longer there.


    Instead, he was replaced by a man with anger issues. This was not to say that the original Song Ziyuan did not already have problems with settling his problems, but recently, it had escalated to such a bad level that Zhao Xinran''s heart wavered.


    She knew her positions, and knew what she wanted. She only wanted to live a good life, become a figure that everybody envied. The person she had to be with didn''t specifically had to be Song Ziyuan, it was just that the man was coincidentally in her radars and was the best out of all the candidates. That was why she chose him, not for any other reasons apart from that practical one.


    However, she also knew not to wrong herself even if she was trying to chase her dreams. Song Ziyuan, this man, would definitely bring her a lot of mental stress and trouble if their relationship did end up continuing until the end.


    Moreover, he was unwilling to tell her what was going on with himself. If he couldn''t even relay this kind of thing to her, then how was she supposed to trust that he won''t lie to her or purposely leave her out on any other things?


    Could it be, she had to rethink her decisions once more?


    Zhao Xinran''s expression was ugly and distorted as she reluctantly pulled up the search engine on her phone and searched up Xu Jiaqi''s online persona. One that was revered and idolized by many people. One that.. seemed to have a good life even though her growth was stunted by so many years by her own family.


    How could she have pulled through after all of the manipulation that they performed on her?


    Did she truly recover to the fullest? She thought that by her father giving her some money, they would finally be able to live the rest of their lives in peace, because she did not think that Xu Jiaqi would have the necessary means to take revenge on them in the first place.


    But.. Could it be, they made a total mistake? Did they set themselves up for downfall? She refused to believe it, but it was so.. eerie. She didn''t feel safe.


    Stressed, she threw her pillow to the other side of the room, letting out a scream of anger. What should she do after this? Surely, Yu Xuan would be able to be the solution to her problem..


    Surely.


    There was no other way. She might have to resort to extreme methods, but the one who was going to be convicted in the end won''t be her, right?


    As long as she survived and came out as a victor, she didn''t care if everyone else fell down. She didn''t care.


    Zhao Xinran was a complicated character. She was born and raised in a rather normal family, except for the fact that her parents knew the pair of internationally famous musical prodigies- Xu Jiaqi''s parents.


    Even so, from the beginning, Zhao Xinran had never thought that she was the same as all the other kids around her, who chased a regular dream, a regular life, and a regular path.


    She was different. She was sure of it.


    And when the chance really came- her parents usurping the Xu family''s wealth and taking it as their own, she believed that it was truly how it was meant to be. That  this was the fate''s way of confirming her theory, confirming her feelings that she was indeed special and not to be grouped with the others.


    That she only deserved the best, because she was Zhao Xinran- someone who wouldn''t be satisfied with being ''normal''.


    Now, she was up in her position, and it was her task to keep it.


    "..Ha. It''s a good thing that I still kept in contact with that piece of shit delinquent.. I knew that this would come in handy one day." Zhao Xinran was living a life where half of her ''image'' was filled with duplicity. She had managed it so well up until now, but there was still one ''shadow'' that tailed her up until now.


    It was her former acquaintance.. back when she was still trying to construct her facades. She met a certain delinquent named Yu Xuan, who fell for her right away, like he was a character in a typical love story. Yu Xuan was a student of the prestigious school that Zhao Xinran transferred to, which was also the place where she met Song Ziyuan and rose to fame with.


    She was rather disgusted by his existence at first, but after meeting him with the same old fake persona and getting to know him better, she rethought her decisions and ended up staying in touch with him.


    Yu Xuan was rather handsome, and he also had a good family background even though his character was not the best. Apparently, the reason he turned out that way was because he already had an older brother who was set on the position of the successor. His second older brother was also much better than him, excelling in every way and able to cooperate with his eldest brother with ease.


    As for him? Where did he stand in this trio? He was just a wallflower- he was ignored, and constantly compared with the other two siblings, spiking up his inferiority complex even more.


    His unruly character was only one of the reasons why he committed so many wrongdoings and attracted negative light to himself. It was also fueled by the fact that no one paid attention to him, not even his parents.


    He had once heard that parents were supposed to shower love to their children. If that was the case, then who were the monsters who claimed to be his parents? Why would they blatantly treat him like thin air, as if they already knew from the start that he would never become a respectable figure?


    Every time they looked at him with disgust in their eyes, loathing him like he was a stranger..


    It was painful. Terribly so.


    He spiralled into a series of bad habits, and became known as a delinquent who was beyond repair.


    By the time he realized how everybody was acting towards him, how much disappointment he caused to the family, and how far he was deep into this hellhole, it was far too late.


    No one expected anything out of him. They immediately thought of him as a burden that they couldn''t remove.


    As such, he didn''t even think that reforming himself was possible. He continued his lifestyle, and one day, he met Zhao Xinran. Although he was indeed a bit dimwitted, he wasn''t one who would fall in love in an instant.


    However, their first meeting, to this day, lasted inside Yu Xuan''s mind for a particular reason.


    Zhao Xinran was the first one to extend her hand towards him. It all happened because of a coincidence. Zhao Xinran wanted to build her image, so when he saw Yu Xuan, who had handsome looks and a vibrant aura around him unconscious on the ground with wounds all over him, her mind instantly racked up plans and possible schemes.


    She took care of him, and when he woke up, his eyes landed on the pure face of Zhao Xinran. He was suspicious at first, but Zhao Xinran.. this girl, even though her heart was indeed vicious, it was a fact that she was an expert in acting.


    Her self-made persona was exposed to Yu Xuan, and the man completely believed her after seeing all of her ''sincere'' acts. He was touched and saw Zhao Xinran as a bright light bestowed to him, an angel whose kindness knew no bounds.


    Zhao Xinran quickly become an irreplaceable existence in his heart, someone he wanted to obtain and keep by his side. Because she was his light.


    At the time of the incident, Zhao Xinran didn''t know that the man she saved was in fact the infamous Yu Xuan. When she learned of the truth, she became repulsed, but after being approached by him again and again, she decided to change her mind and saw Yu Xuan as a valuable pawn in her act.


    To this day, the man has yet to realize that everything was just a farce, and that all this time, Zhao Xinran was doing nothing but using him to her advantage.


    He was a pitiful person stuck in a loop that he couldn''t escape, chasing the ''butterfly of light'' which was Zhao Xinran- the only one who he held hope upon.


    To him, she was a treasure. To her, he was nothing but an annoying bug that she wanted to get rid of, but didn''t because he was still useful for some of her plans.


    What a laughable contrast.

 Chapter 217 - 4.43

    [Host, reporting.. Zhao Xinran has used the ''trump card'' that you mentioned earlier.] The System spoke out after finishing his surveillance checkups.


    The System almost had a shiver travel down his back. If it wasn''t for the Host purposely asking him to investigate deeper into Zhao Xinran''s connections, then he would''ve left his information gathering at the Zhao family''s atrocities.


    How could he have predicted that there as someone helping Zhao Xinran from the side as well, supporting her rise to fame and propelling her social life? He naturally looked over all the information and assumed that she did climb up on her own, although she used the assets stolen from the Xu family in the process.


    However, there was indeed a third party in the entire fiasco.


    All instigated by a man named Yu Xuan.


    This stupid man, Yu Xuan, was the one who was unfortunately dumb enough to help Zhao Xinran with her wicked plans. Whatever Zhao Xinran wanted to obtain, it was delivered to her by him. Whatever she wanted to do, he paved the way for her and made sure that she didn''t suffer.


    As such, she was able to scale up into the social circles as well, starting with her school, meeting with Song Ziyi, and finally branching out to the inner circles.


    Yu Xuan was behind the dirty work, he was the one who made her slip into the


    [Host.. What should we do now? We didn''t fully account for this nuisance, and we''re about to go forth with our plans. What if he becomes a hindrance?] The System was rather worried. He didn''t know how large of a ripple this unwanted variable could create for their plans.


    As someone who frequently messed around with the world''s fate, space, and time, he knew all too well about how significant butterfly effects were. How it worked, and how it played in the ways of the world.


    Not to mention Yu Xuan, who possessed considerable power. Even a small hitch, like a random character suddenly not playing into their tune would create a leeway for things to go wrong.


    "It''s not that big of a surprise, to be honest. I fully expected her to go ballistic sooner or later.. Although, it''s slightly concerning that she''s this bad at controlling her emotions and fears. To the point that she''s contacting her trump card right after a simple phone call, even when she hasn''t confirmed anything in particular yet." Xu Jiaqi laughed. "It''s a bit funny, but we''ll applaud her for not underestimating us, I suppose."


    Zhao Xinran acted fast. Right away, she contacted Yu Xuan and voiced out her desire to get rid of Xu Jiaqi.


    She has had people make light of what she was capable of in the past, and each and every single one of those encounters did not end well. Although, Zhao Xinran being wary would also not give her a particular headstart.


    Because Xu Jiaqi already made sure that the game was in her favor, and that the path to checkmate was already firmly sealed within her hands. The other paths were blocked off by her, leaving her prey with no chance to escape out of her grip.


    Xu Jiaqi grinned as she stood up, stretching her body and feeling her muscles- which was still a bit sore from the sudden strenuous exercise relax.


    "Did you say that this could ruin my plan? Silly System, if I didn''t account for every single possible thing, would I be the Xu Jiaqi that you knew?"


    Xu Jiaqi smirked, making the System intimidated and hopeful of what she could pull out of her arsenal.


    "Now, now, since she''s already in the move, we also have to get on with our own preparations, right? It''s time to launch our attacks.. One by one."


    Xu Jiaqi was ready for everything. She was just waiting for the right timing. Fortunately, the timing came, and the sweet Zhao Xinran hastily made a move.


    Unlike her, she was not at all prepared, judging from her surprised reactions. That was extremely good.


    Xu Jiaqi wanted to get out of the suite and make her way back into her own home to set up her preparations, but she was suddenly reminded of the little note that Tang Yizhou had left her with before and was caught in a slight conflict.


    "...I guess I could stream here," Xu Jiaqi sighed. The location was not important. She didn''t mean to put up her disguise as the Queen today anyway, so it wouldn''t have mattered. In fact, if her background was the suite, wouldn''t it be better aesthetically?


    Thinking that way, Xu Jiaqi pulled up her phone and called a taxi to be assigned to her, wanting to make a short trip back to her home before coming back here and streaming.


    She only had to wait for a few minutes before a cab stopped in front of her, rolling their windows down and revealing a face that she had seen before.


    It was the taxi driver who drove her to the Zhao family home. One of the ''seeds'' that she planted ahead of time, even before her plans were constructed.


    "Ah.. It''s been quite some time, right?" Xu Jiaqi amiably smiled. "Am I your passenger? I''ve called a cab over through the application."


    "Yes, it should be. Little lady, your name should be Xu Jiaqi, right?" The driver was quite surprised in a pleasant way that the passenger was someone that he recognized.


    "Yes, that is my name." Xu Jiaqi nodded and opened the door to the front seat, getting inside the taxi.


    "It''s such a coincidence that we''re able to meet again. Little lady, do you take cabs often? Meeting the same passenger twice, it''s not an occurrence that happens often through the app." The driver spoke, confirming some details on the application before starting their journey.


    "Well... In fact, this is my second time trying to ride a taxi. It is quite strange that you''re the driver for both of my trips, don''t you think?" Xu Jiaqi strapped her seatbelt on and turned her head to look at the driver.


    "..Hm?" The driver raised a brow. "Oh, I thought you were heading to your home, the one I took you to in the past. Turns out.. you''re headed towards someone''s home?"


    "Oh, that''s actually my current home. I moved out of the... place you''re talking about." Xu Jiaqi''s brows knitted, showing a difficult expression that the driver picked up.


    "..Did I perhaps touch upon a sensitive topic? If so, please accept my deepest apologies. I did not mean to do so in the slightest." The driver was polite, and coughed to clear his throat before beginning to set up the GPS system for directions.


    "No, it''s not a sensitive topic.. I''m alright. In fact, you might want to pay attention to the media for quite some time after this.. I will be creating some ripples in it." Xu Jiaqi said, her last words having a volume so low that her words were almost not audible.


    "En? What was that? This old man has some bad hearing, so you might want to speak a bit louder, ey?" The driver said.


    "Oh right. I.. actually- I don''t know how to ask you this question, and it might seem weird, but are you perhaps the child star Xu Jiaqi? Like, that Xu Jiaqi?" He added.


    This question had stayed on his mind. He recalled their previous interaction. Xu Jiaqi requested to be driven off to her home, but when they arrived at the destination, the inhabitants of said place didn''t seem to really.. appreciate her arrival.


    Even though she was supposed to be a recovered patient. If everything was truly as what the girl had spoken before, and the family held her up in a positive light, would they really have made such a reaction?


    Shouldn''t they be happy instead of shocked, and even showing some traces of annoyance in their faces, as they were trying to hide it?


    It was pretty uncanny. He didn''t want to be a busybody who intruded on someone''s business, but he was also a bit worried about this case, since Xu Jiaqi came off to him as an innocent and bright child back then.


    Although, from her previous state and disposition, she seemed to have changed a lot. It made him wonder if the family was part of the reason that she changed and left the home.


    He didn''t have a good feeling about the Zhao family.


    Xu Jiaqi didn''t reply for a few seconds, showing some signs of restraint before nodding her head lightly. "Well, it''s a complicated matter. I believe that I shouldn''t relay the details to you since it would defy some of the rules that I have to follow.. It concerns legal matters as well. If I could, I would tell you about what happened, but that isn''t possible until I get all of this sorted out, I suppose."


    The driver winced at the announcement, beginning to think that something was indeed wrong, as he had predicted from the start.

 Chapter 218 - 4.44

    "That''s understandable. Well, above all, I get the feeling that you''re much more.. liberated than before. If I''m not being too rude by saying this.. As an old man with various experiences, I want to say that not everything in this world is as what they seem." He sighed, stepping on the pedals to drive them to the destination.


    "...I''m aware of that fact." Xu Jiaqi creased her brows, making a saddened smile as she spoke.


    "It''s good that you know. Keep that in mind, as it might be a piece of advice that you need in the near future. Do mind your surroundings.. and choose your allies wisely." As if there was something weighing on his back as well, the old man said in a sullen tone, making Xu Jiaqi wonder what this man went through in the past.


    Alas, her true goal wasn''t to bother with the old man, but rather make her way back to her place and retrieve her items.


    The driver was skilled and knew his roads well, so they arrived at her place not long after. Xu Jiaqi asked the man to wait as she went inside to get the appropriate items and got back inside the car. The driver didn''t question anything and drove her back to Tang Yizhou''s suite.


    Although, he did initiate a few conversations here and there. It seemed like he was being overly careful of his choice of words, knowing that Xu Jiaqi wasn''t an ordinary person. Especially concerning her past, it wasn''t a surprise that the driver didn''t want to trigger anything bad from returning to her mind.


    Xu Jiaqi felt like the old driver was a rather nice person. He was wise. Wisdom wasn''t something that naturally came with age, one needed to acquire the correct experience to nurture their minds. Whatever it was, it must''ve been something that hit his psyche hard, affecting him to this point.


    The two had pleasant interactions, and arrived in front of the suite building without a long waiting time.


    "Thank you for the various talks. Mister, too, if you have a particular burden, or have something tying you down.. As a youngster who may or may not know what''s the best approach, I want to say that life is not eternal." Xu Jiaqi pursed her lips. "One ought to take their chances before everything is too late. I realized this far later than I should''ve. Living.. If you''re still being bound by plaguing memories, it''s torturous."


    "..I see. The reason you are so dazzling right now is because you have overcome your past, hm?" The driver felt like something was lodged in his throat, looking at Xu Jiaqi with endearing eyes. She could even feel a trace of admiration in them.


    "After all, you only live once. Might as well throw my life away if I can''t even live happily." Xu Jiaqi made a peace sign. "A brazen way of thinking, yes? But it''s great. I''ve never felt this refreshed."


    "Hahah! Indeed, it is.."


    Xu Jiaqi didn''t know yet, but she was incredibly lucky in meeting this man as her taxi driver not only once, but twice. The man with an equally mysterious past had his own fair share of problems. Tragedies after tragedies made him throw away his former identity and come out to the society as a reformed man, a humble taxi driver who drove around the city daily.


    Meeting her and knowing where she came from made him finally take a step forward and look back to the past that he had ignored for so long, the responsibilities that he ran away from.


    Later on, he was filled with gratitude.


    ______


    "Hello, everyone." Xu Jiaqi greeted.


    Her stream had just started. She wore simple, formal clothes and didn''t wear a shred of makeup. She faced the camera, which captured her beauty well on the screen the viewers saw.


    Unlike her previous broadcasts, Xu Jiaqi decided to create a solemn mood right from the start. Since she has garnered quite a large following, as soon as she pressed the start button on her broadcasting application, a lot of people had already begun to jump into her stream and greeted her. They amounted to hundreds, but other would quickly follow suit and jump in before long.


    Comments noticing the different tone and mood of the stream immediately flooded in. The most noticeable difference being: The Queen not even wearing her costumes, which defied the channel''s name itself.


    Her Majesty''s Faithful Maid: Oh? I sense something weird. Why is Her Majesty not being as vibrant as before? Did she get into trouble? Oh no!


    Begging the Queen for Prosperity: How can our queen get into trouble? She''s unbothered by the laws of the world lololol


    Begonia Baby: This seems like an announcement to quit streaming if you look at it from a different perspective. I hope not wuwuwu


    Behind his screen, Feng Qin, who has been a loyal follower of Xu Jiaqi from the first day she started streaming, panicked. He got Xu Jiaqi''s contact information after some time of interacting with her, back when her viewer count was still below ten.


    Strangely, the two clicked off quite well after their rough first impressions, and they continued to contact each not only as a streamer and her fan, but rather just as equal friends after some time. He was even appointed as her channel''s moderator after it took off and needed some regulations.


    He hurried to contact her, expressing his worries and asking her what had happened.


    Xu Jiaqi received the notification, but did not answer it. She didn''t talk. Waiting for a few minutes for more viewers to come. Staring at the camera blankly without showing any change in expression, making her viewers worried to death at how she was behaving.


    Her Majesty is the Galaxy: Your Majesty, please answer us! Say something before we faint out of worry! T^T


    Big Brother is Angry!: She won''t quit, she won''t quit, she won''t quit! There''s no way...


    RainDoops: Lord Moderator, I can sense your anxiousness from a mile away. Come, let''s pray in a circle and hope for the best! Your Majesty, please give a sign soon!


    As requested, Xu Jiaqi answered the frantic prayers of many people. She shut her eyes tight before clearing her throat and preparing for her performance after seeing that the viewer count had finally reached the five thousand mark.


    It should be enough for now, the rest could come later.


    "Everyone, I have an announcement to make. I... want to discuss more things about my origins and backstory, I just don''t know if everyone is willing to listen or not. For those who aren''t up to it, please do skip today''s stream, as we will be discussing nothing but bits of my personal business."


    "My real name is Xu Jiaqi. Some of you might be familiar with that name right away, but for those of you who don''t know who I am, please do look it up on search engines, I am sure that things will pop up."


    "I don''t think I need to elaborate on what I went through. What I think is necessary is.. Expressing my thoughts and experience after the incidents that trampled me."


    Xu Jiaqi bit her lips, taking in a deep breath before briefly telling the story of her life in short, yet hard punching sentences that stuck deep within the viewers'' mind.


    She glimpsed over the characters that existed in her life, but basically summarized everything up until the point she was in right now, as a popular streamer with fame to her name.


    It lasted for minutes. The viewers found it impossible to look away from her figure, and kept their eyes strictly on the screen, kept their ears open to capture everything she said, and stopped their fingers from typing anything.


    Although they didn''t know the details, it was already clear from her gestures and stories that she suffered. Many times, over and over again.


    "I am no longer going to run away from my past, as I have done nothing wrong. Yet, I was forced to keep my head low and be restrained just because I''ve never jumped over the cursed line that disabled me from living a great life."


    "I''ve always wondered. Why am I the one running away from it all? Why must I be the one to suffer? Why are the ones who hurt me able to live happily? Why, why.. I''ve asked such questions too many times by now, but not once did I act on it and search for answers. Not once did I try to break through the shackles and free myself."


    "It has vexed me and ruined me for so many years, but it is all going to end now. I have been working on myself, trying to recover for so long.. Coming to this platform is also a way to cope with my struggles."


    "The streamer that you are familiar with.. the little girl Xu Jiaqi is still trapped inside this very body. Not the Queen that you all sought, but just a little girl that... holds one too many sad stories."

 Chapter 219 - 4.45

    The viewers'' emotions constantly changed as they listened to Xu Jiaqi''s heartfelt speech, feeling anguished for her situation.


    After she concluded every single bit of the details she had planned before starting up the stream, she once again took a deep breath and looked straight into the camera with unwavering eyes, showing her resolute will in executing her plans.


    "As such, I will be taking a short break from streaming, since I want to pay all those who have wronged me in the past.. some sweet revenge. After struggling, and crawling up the ways of life until my preparations get done.."


    "I have finally acquired the means to exact my payback, and I will be doing so from now on. No one who has wronged me and my parents in the past shall escape from my grasp. I will make sure that justice will be served." Xu Jiaqi smiled.


    However, unlike her past smiles, which has always been one brimming with arrogance stemming from her confidence, it was a bit dispirited today. It further elevated the faithful viewers'' perception.


    This time, the Queen seemed awfully sad. They didn''t know how they came to this conclusion since the Queen did nothing but tell her story in a straightforward manner, and even smiled as she did so. As if the things did not affect her in the slightest.


    However, to them, it sounded like the Queen was having difficulty speaking smoothly. Trying to stay strong even though she was breaking in the inside.


    Was it their imagination, or was there truly something deeper lying within the Queen''s story? What was it that their streamer had to bear behind her facade- the one that they watched for all this time without realizing that there was a looming tragedy behind her?


    Of course, it was safe to assume that a lot of things were still hidden. Smarter viewers had already understood by the gist of her words that Xu Jiaqi was probably going to fully take the legal path of dealing with these wrongdoers. By doing so, if she dared to expose the intricate details of her situation, it might fire back on her case later on.


    It was understandable that she kept a vague notion throughout her speech. Even so, it caused distressed for the viewers, who desperately wanted to know her condition and how she was faring. Because from the showcase she displayed, she didn''t look that great.


    Speculations would naturally start to occur right after Xu Jiaqi ended her stream. This was her very intention, creating a spark that would leave a huge impression on people.


    Not only her own viewers, but a lot of people had it within themselves to seek drama and heated events. A story like Xu Jiaqi''s would surely tug on their heartstrings and curiosity, bringing their attention over to the matter as well.


    She was, again, someone who was adept in controlling people''s emotions and leading them as she liked. Moving the people''s perceptions might not be the easiest thing ever for others, but for Xu Jiaqi, it was very easy as long as she had the right tools to do it.


    And the tools were indeed in her hands. The fire of chaos shall begin.


    _____


    As she had predicted, her storytelling session made the headlines right away after the fateful day.


    "Breaking news! [Heaven''s Chaos]'' popular streamer, [Her Majesty''s Abode], is actually the former shining child star who reigned over her entertainment field back in the day- Xu Jiaqi!"


    "The streamer has publicly declared that there were inexcusable foul play with the intent to harm done towards her life."


    "Dedicated fans have gone out of their way and investigated the matters surrounding her, only to find cryptic clues, and unsolvable incidents regarding the streamer and everything that she was involved in back in the day. Many people have begun to dig deep into the possible theories, and whatever foul play was done."


    "The streamer has...."


    News channels started to report on her case.


    Online channels on video platforms, other streamers, stars, everyone began to hear about her case and looked into it.


    They got hooked, for a couple of reasons.


    First, the tragic life that the star Xu Jiaqi has led all this time. She was stripped off her reign forcefully by a traumatic event, had her loved ones be erased from the world due to an accident, and disappeared into nothingness just like that, with no news on her aftermath being shared to the world.


    She was forgotten by everyone in a split second. It was also rather suspicious that for a figure like Xu Jiaqi, who was supposed to carry a heavy weight of fame back then, suddenly did not have any media attention on her and was just buried off like that.


    There were some heat about the tragedies back then, but that was it. The rest vanished, as if there was someone behind the scenes purposely silencing the case.


    Secondly, there were too many suspicious things about what Xu Jiaqi had said about her case openly. She spoke out that there were indeed foul play in her suffering. That she suffered injustices. Then, who were the culprits?


    Curiosity.


    It spiked from within their minds, triggering their imaginations to come up with suspects that dared to harm a little child that lost her parents and suffered from harsh trauma back when she was a child.


    How inhumane!


    Xu Jiaqi held a glass of red wine in her hands as she watched countless sites and programs broadcast her case. Her name was finally out there for millions of people to look at. The news was still generally contained in China right now, but soon..


    It would surely spread even further. Not to mention after her case finally gets processed.


    "Are you enjoying this, dear?" Tang Yizhou, who was sitting by her side and looking at her fervently to draw her attention to him questioned.


    "Of course. Why would I not? I have been waiting for this day to come for so long. As I expected, it tastes way different if I do it myself. Your offer to do everything in my stead was tempting, but it wouldn''t be the same. The flavor of revenge.. It is something that brings thrill to me."


    Ever since their first affair, they both officially got together and became a couple. Those who knew amounted to no more than five people, with four of them being from Tang Yizhou''s side, and Feng Qin being Xu Jiaqi''s only acquaintance who could be called ''close''.


    "..It can also be dangerous. I don''t want you to get hurt. There''s a lot of people who view you negatively because of this case. Qiqi, if you''re sick of this, or is bothered by anything, tell me right away. I will dispose of all those who hinder you in a flash."


    "Should I say that.. you''re very sweet?" Xu Jiaqi chuckled. "How strange.. I thought that President Tang would be more refined.. like a block of stone. It''s good that this is not the case. Or else, how could I bear missing such a perfect partner?"


    "I''ve already said it so many times, and I will say it once again. Qiqi, you are my savior, and the one I hold dear. You pulled me out of my suffering and knocked my senses back into me. If it wasn''t for you, I probably wouldn''t have lasted until this long. Before you came.. I was on the brink of giving up, the only thing holding me up being my little brother."


    "..Cheesy." Xu Jiaqi turned her head away, pouting. "Come to think of it, Tang Yixiu is born in the same year as me. Do you know which university he plans to apply to?"


    "...Hmm, knowing that boy, he''s probably going to go abroad. He hasn''t told me his final decision yet, but he has an interest in my field.. He had expressed interest towards working with me, even though I would love it even more if he tried to branch out his paths and go on a separate venture. Although, the worries I''d have to cultivate if that happened is also concerning.. I assume he would take Computer Science as his major."


    "Probably? How can you not be sure? It''s a very important choice for his life. Yixiu is a meticulous person, he should have everything set up inside his mind. You should worry about him more rather than spending all your time on me!" Xu Jiaqi raised a brow, not believing the situation.


    It was a crucial point in life for Tang Yixiu, how can he be so nonchalant?


    "Ever since.. you know, my mental state pummeled to the ground, I did a lot of bad things to him.. He probably doesn''t look at me fondly anymore, I''m the source of many of his sufferings." Tang Yizhou sighed deeply.


    Xu Jiaqi bit her lips and faced the man up close, the distance separating their two faces being less than a hand''s width.

 Chapter 220 - 4.46

    "Q-qiqi? What is this all about..?" Tang Yizhou couldn''t lie and say that he didn''t enjoy the woman''s approach, but he was still mildly taken aback.


    "If I''m going to be your partner, then Yixiu is going to be my relative in the future. I should take care of him too as part of my responsibility. Besides, if you''re going to stay like this and keep everything stagnant, push Yixiu away from you, then your relationship is only going to get worse. Do you want to lose him from your life?"


    "No!! Obviously not." Tang Yizhou furrowed his brows and denied with all his might.


    Even though Tang Yizhou might come off as a cold person, he actually had a warm and caring soul within himself. He had a mindset that only allowed him to be the best version of himself, which was what spurred him to be able to work so hard continuously to no end.


    However, expressing emotions was still something that was relatively difficult for him. As such, even though the pair of Tang siblings knew that they adored each other, it was still sort of hard for them to come together and have a proper chat without their shortcomings hindering them.


    For Tang Yizhou, it was hard for him to catch up and talk with the boy in a heart-to-heart fashion, because he had always feared how the boy would react towards someone like him, who had hurt the other multiple times in the past with his selfish actions.


    For Tang Yixiu, it was closer to a sense of inferiority towards his older brother from how brilliant the other was in comparison to himself. Even though he was also a respectable human being who was acclaimed as a genius by many in his peers, he still harbored a sense of shame, sadness, and remorse whenever he thought of the things Tang Yizhou had to go through to raise him by his own, to the point of sacrificing his own youth.


    He had always thought that he didn''t deserve a speck of success from what Tang Yizhou brought home, because he did nothing but trouble the other and couldn''t even match up to him. Of course, it was all in his mind. To others, this pair of siblings was just simply a blessed duo in every single field.


    Even so, because they had gone for so many years without being able to interact properly and understand each other to the core, their relationship had became somewhat stranded as time passed.


    Xu Jiaqi smiled after she saw how big of a reaction Tang Yizhou gave to her simple question.


    "That''s it. Use that same motivation to once again try to approach him. Above all, Yixiu should be the one who is most familiar with your condition at that time. He is also the one and only relative you possess.. Remembering your previous relationship, it would be the biggest shame if you lost him. Yixiu is a good kid. You have such a good family member, treasure him well, please. I''ll help you with it as well, but the important tasks will have to be done by you, no one else but yourself."


    Xu Jiaqi looked at the man with melancholic eyes, holding traces of sadness within them that stirred Tang Yizhou''s heart.


    Tang Yizhou thought for a few seconds, trying to figure out how the woman managed to muster this type of feelings just due to the topic they were discussing. He didn''t think that Xu Jiaqi would be this distressed over his matters. Soon after, it clicked inside his head. The catalyst of her emotions.


    Her past, everything she had lost in her life. The current her was strong and had a vibrant aura that charmed him every single time he was in her presence, but behind that was still the same Xu Jiaqi who had been severely harmed.


    "Qiqi, once we become family, you will have relatives to look for.. Ah! But my only relative is Yixiu.." Tang Yizhou hurriedly tried to console her upon seeing her expression turn for the worse, but then realized that he was also someone who lost his parents.


    Xu Jiaqi grinned and leaned her head against the man, humming in acknowledgement.


    "H-how about you, Qiqi? Are you not applying to an institution? Just say the name of one you like, I will make sure that you get in." Tang Yizhou tried to divert the topic, and questioned partly based on his own curiosity as well.


    If Xu Jiaqi planned to go to a university, then would she leave him behind for her studies once she got admitted to an institution based overseas? Even if it would only be for a few years, and they could still meet from time to time within those years, it still made his heart stuffy when he thought about her being so far away from him.


    However, above all, he wanted Xu Jiaqi to be happy, happier than anybody else in this world. Whatever she wished for, he had already sworn inside his heart that he would make sure the wish gets fulfilled at all costs, even if it meant using everything he had in exchange for it.


    Xu Jiaqi blinked her eyes a couple times.


    This man.. was openly voicing out his desire to cheat.


    Xu Jiaqi was not a hypocrite, she wouldn''t say that she won''t use the power she had to cheat, or that she had never done such a thing in the past. It was obvious that she didn''t have the cleanest history. This was also what made her not fully complacent and act like a true hero in situations. Because she truly wasn''t one.


    She was a morally grey person, who knew who to treasure and who to take as an enemy, and how she treated both groups in a different, yet similar way.


    "You''re trying to escape the topic, but don''t think that I will let it go. We''ll definitely find time to bother Yixiu and mend your relations." Xu Jiaqi palmed her face. "Also, Yizhou, you saying all of that, do you mean to say that you don''t believe in my own potential? Am I that unworthy in your eyes, to the point where I have to cheat to make it?"


    The way Tang Yizhou worded it was indeed a bit unsettling.


    "What? No, no, no. You''re misunderstanding, Qiqi." Tang Yizhou shook his head and pursed his lips. "I meant that.. you''re worried about Yixiu, but what about you..?"


    "I don''t plan on pursuing higher education. Yizhou, don''t you think that I''m really great at making money even without a degree?" Xu Jiaqi laughed. What else could she want to learn? All of the essential skills she needed, she already possessed. Not from this world, but from a few worlds ago.


    The process was the exact same.


    Learning new things, she did want to do it, but it wasn''t something as major as having to get a degree. If she took an interest in something, she would go and learn it in her free time, rather than spending time in an institution for years.


    Besides, a degree was not necessary by all means in her eyes.


    "That''s good.." Tang Yizhou unconsciously let out a sigh of relief, finally freed from his negative thoughts of Xu Jiaqi leaving. Honestly, seeing where they were right now, how would he bear the separation?


    "Ao, you''re saying that it''s a good thing?" Xu Jiaqi pinched the tip of his tall nose. "You''re so enthusiastic at the thought of me not getting education."


    "Of course, if you want to learn, then I will let you learn.. it''s just that I''ll be extremely saddened if you part ways with me, Qiqi." He pouted.


    "How spoiled," Xu Jiaqi giggled, her hands getting wilder by each second, traveling across Tang Yizhou''s skin.


    "Qiqi.. it''s still early. Shouldn''t we go and settle your legal matters first..? The Zhao family-" Tang Yizhou was about to try and remind her of their pressing matters, but the woman raised her index finger and pressed it against the man''s lips.


    "Tang Yizhou, do you know a saying called broad daylight robbery? I''m going to commit one right here and now, this expert thief will steal your time. By the time you snap out of it, it''ll be night time. Come tell me, who can stop me from doing so?" Xu Jiaqi teased.


    She got up from her position and sat on top of Tang Yizhou''s lap. His legs, which were pinned down by her began to unfurl from their folded position, the man finding it hard to hold back.


    "..How can someone stop you?" Tang Yizhou gently smiled, leaning in for a gentle kiss with the woman.


    "Then.. brother Tang, should we get drunk in debauchery and sink in to become degenerates?"


    "If that''s what my love wishes for, then it shall become reality." Tang Yizhou''s small bits of laughter rang.


    The two laced their fingers, and didn''t take a long time to fiddle around before they were completely undressed, nothing separating their skins from touching and being intimate.


    In tune with each other, creating special harmonies that no one else could recreate.

 Chapter 221 - 4.47

    "Miss Xu, the preparation is done. All of us will be on standby, you just need to say the word for the plan to start." A man, whose glasses was so thick that you''d be able to see the lenses poking out of the frames if you looked at it from the side fumbled around with the documents laid before him as he spoke.


    He gathered them into one pile and delivered them to the hands of a certain Xu Jiaqi, who was sitting with her legs crossed while she enjoyed the fragrant tea they served.


    "..Thank you very much for all of your hard work. I will make sure that all of you gets compensated properly." Xu Jiaqi nodded.


    Xu Jiaqi was inside a private firm that wasn''t too large, but the people working in it were all overflowing with talents and had exemplary work results. She first discovered this place through discussing with Tang Yizhou, who helped her connect with the firm and discuss her case.


    They immediately jumped on the case, not only because they were promised great rewards, but also because Xu Jiaqi''s story was something that was hard to just be left alone.


    Not only that, upon engaging and being in contact with her further, they were further charmed and got riled up to put in more effort.


    "It''s totally alright, Miss Xu. I am saying this, and standing by your side in the case not only because it''s part of my work and responsibility, but truly because I believe that justice should be served the way it''s meant to be." He adjusted his glasses and spoke.


    He was the owner of the private firm, in which all the employees are actually people who were his club mates back in university. His name was Fu Zhenning, and his mates and him all received tempting offers the moment they finished their education because of how talented they were.


    However, instead of going down that path, they decided to stick together and establish a firm. They were all great people, and the firm was sure to succeed especially when Tang Yizhou had taken interest on them. He did have excellent discerning eyes, so it wasn''t a surprise.


    "..How great." Xu Jiaqi smiled and took the documents over. Inside the files were official letters calling the Zhao family for a summons, along with concrete evidence that would trample them a thousand times overs if revealed.


    This kind of work, she was afraid that it couldn''t be accomplished without dipping their fingers in illegal matters. Xu Jiaqi smirked at the compilation.


    "Perfect. There''s not a single thing that I am dissatisfied with." Xu Jiaqi commended the workers, who clapped in response to her reaction.


    Xu Jiaqi had been working with this team because she couldn''t just magically spawn her evidence out of nowhere. The System was powerful, but he wasn''t a being who existed in the mortal world, but rather in a higher plane.


    If she just brought the evidence without having any team work on it, how would she explain the sudden appearance of all of these materials? This was why she had gone out of her way and charmed this particular group of investigators who gladly danced on her palm after she had roped them in.


    "Thank you for all the praises, Miss Xu,"


    "I will wire over the payment like usual. I''ll put in a fair share of bonuses as well. You have done well, exceeding what I expected from you guys by a mile away!" Xu Jiaqi got up from her seating position and soon left after some more small talks discussing the extent of their plans.


    _____


    ''My mind is still thinking about.. the silly tricks Zhao Xinran wants to pull off. How come her attacks haven''t arrived yet?'' Xu Jiaqi grumbled as she got distracted from her partner, who she was dining with in this beautiful night.


    It had been days since the last time she visited the firm. She had expected an attack to come, which would be the final blow to Zhao Xinran and the Zhao family''s demise, sealing their fates altogether.


    Zhao family''s involvement in the deaths of her parents, along with her trauma-inducing kidnapping was clear, but Zhao Xinran didn''t have a heavy crime tied down to her name. If she brought the case up right now, Zhao Xinran wouldn''t be able to get the ''retribution'' she deserved.


    Xu Jiaqi weighed out the outcomes and decided to wait, knowing that Zhao Xinran had contacted her acquaintance to attack her as reported by the System. But even after all this time, after she made the announcement publicly to a wide audience and connected the last bits of her operation, Zhao Xinran''s tricks were still nowhere to be seen.


    ''Did she give up? Was her will too weak after all?''


    The System was diligently keeping an eye on the woman, but no changes had been seen. The only thing that he saw was how Zhao Xinran would look at Xu Jiaqi''s news in hatred through screens, but that was it.


    What happened to trying to dispose of her?


    As her mind was travelling elsewhere, Tang Yizhou fiddled with his fingers below the table that separated the two and constantly stole stares at her.


    Xu Jiaqi, who was oblivious to his strange patterns of staring continued to doze off with her thoughts. This was only one of their many dinner nights to her, so she didn''t think that anything special would happen due to the System not saying anything.


    Little did she know, the System did know that something was going to happen, and purposely didn''t tell Xu Jiaqi because he didn''t like Tang Yizhou and wanted to see his Host''s real reaction.


    When they were both done with their meals, Tang Yizhou suddenly launched a question that Xu Jiaqi hadn''t expected to come out tonight.


    He stood up from his chair and went over to her side, before kneeling down and going through his pockets and taking out an object. In his hands was a well prepared ring box which he opened to reveal a stunning, intricate ring with a flawless diamond firmly embedded in the jewel socket.


    "Qiqi.." Tang Yizhou didn''t know how to go around the matter and was unsure. "Do you.. want to take it a step further with our relationship?"


    The corners of her mouth raised up. She gently placed her hand on top of his. A worried look surfaced on Tang Yizhou''s face. He was fairly confident that Xu Jiaqi adored him, but marriage was a completely different issue from whatever they shared normally.


    From the first time he met her, she kept trying to convince him that falling for her too hard would result in nothing but tragedy, but did he listen? No, because despite all the sinister warnings, he still found himself deeply in love with her without any doubts in his mind.


    "Yizhou, do you still remember what I said when we first met, and you seemed to take an interest on me?"


    Tang Yizhou winced. As expected, was the worst case scenario going to come? Was he going to get rejected just like this? It was a shame, but if it was her final decision, then he didn''t have any right to deny it because he was the one who subjected himself to these high risks in the first place.


    "..You told me not to pursue you because you''re dangerous." Tang Yizhou answered, even though it was getting hard for him to talk because of the nervousness he felt.


    His mind was spiralling out of control. He had chosen this day out of all the possible days out of sheer will to see how it would go. It did cross his mind that Xu Jiaqi might even choose to end everything with him, which caused him to shudder in fear.


    "What should I do with you.. It seems like none of my warnings got through your head. How could that be, I wonder?" Xu Jiaqi squatted down and held Tang Yizhou''s head, holding it up and meeting him in the eyes. She wore a small smile as she stroked his face gently. "You''re lucky that you''re lovable."


    "Then..?" Tang Yizhou grow hopeful with her reactions, and weakly asked. He didn''t know how to interpret her reaction correctly, but if he was correct, then was she..


    "Then? What, do you expect me to prepare the wedding and all of that?"


    "...!" Tang Yizhou was shocked to his core, not being able to say a single word after Xu Jiaqi expressed her thoughts.


    "Well- No, actually, leave the preparation to me. If I leave it to you, you''re not even going to come to work for the entire duration. I know that you''re going to fuss about every single matter." Xu Jiaqi sighed and helped him get back up in the midst of his dazed moments.


    "How can you say that..." Tang Yizhou instantly looked dejected and made a small pout.

 Chapter 222 - 4.48

    Xu Jiaqi sighed, ruffling the man''s tidy hair and making it into a mess.


    "I''m just drawing out a theory from my daily, very casual observation after being with you and seeing you stick with me doing nothing all day." Xu Jiaqi pinched his right ear. "You''re not even hiding your distaste of going out and doing work now. Just because of me.. Well, I''m not going to lie and say that I don''t feel honored, but you shouldn''t be doing that. You''re the esteemed President Tang, after all."


    "Ao.. I can do everything from home, with you by my side. Why would I purposely go out and rot in my office?" Tang Yizhou turned his head away, as if he was a little child who was denied his play time.


    In actuality, for Tang Yizhou, he really was reduced to nothing more than a lost child who held onto Xu Jiaqi solely based on the fact that she was his savior, and he also loved her to the point of no return. To the mature, stoic Tang Yizhou, Xu Jiaqi was a presence that could break all the pretenses and defences he put up to shield his heart away.


    "What about the interactions in the company? Are you just not going to do meetings anymore? Tang Yizhou, I''m telling you, if you don''t get your records straight, I''m not going to agree to spending my whole life with you."


    Tang Yizhou''s eyes widened, and he immediately switched to being docile, shaking his head from left to right furiously and indicating his extreme refusal to her idea. "I''ll do it. I''ll go to the company every single day.. Wait, no. I''ll.. go there more."


    What a silly attitude. He was the owner of a gigantic corporation, but he acted like this with her. It was near comical.


    "So?" Xu Jiaqi huffed, smiling as she pulled his hand into hers, fiddling with the ring box. "Are you not going to help me put on the ring?"


    Although she asked him all this, she did plan to accept his proposal because it was around the right timing as well. Tang Yizhou had shown himself to be nothing short of exceptional from start to finish, and she couldn''t find a single side of him that caused her to be dissatisfied.


    He was purely enamored with her everything.


    Tang Yizhou''s sense returned to his head, as his nervous hands fumbled around with the box, taking the precious jewelry out and looking at it with eyes full of love.


    "I directed the production of this ring. Everything was chosen by me.. With the image of you in my head for every single choice. I even participated in some of the crafting, but I didn''t want to ruin the intricacy of the piece due to my lack of skills." Tang Yizhou spoke. "Even so, I still had a massive contribution to it.. Do you like it? My present."


    "I like it. It''s really pretty.. and meaningful, at that. I would love for you to explain every single detail of your thoughts."


    It really was cute. She didn''t think that he would be capable of doing things to such a romantic degree. But as always, he surpassed her initial thoughts of him and stepped into a whole new level of dedication just for her sake.


    "But.. Do you not have a ring for yourself? Or am I supposed to be the one who gets you the other pair?" Xu Jiaqi asked.


    "I.. didn''t make one for myself because.." Tang Yizhou hesitated. "Well, if you had rejected me, then I would''ve given you this ring no matter what. It''s my feelings compressed into one piece of jewelry, but as for my case.. I planned for us to go on a date and have you create my ring. That''s not a bad idea, is it?"


    "Of course not. It''s a fantastic idea. I love it!" Xu Jiaqi stretched out her hand and let Tang Yizhou gently slide in the ring to the finger.


    Inside her mind, she was silently laughing. In a good way, of course. This man was so torn between being confident and completely not confident at the same time. He was prepared for every single scenario of rejection, was scared of it, but still decided to continue and take his chances.


    It was adorable.


    "Dear.." Tang Yizhou looked straight into Xu Jiaqi''s pair of clear eyes, gazing with glee at the ring that was now fitted on Xu Jiaqi''s finger. "We''re.. what, engaged, now?"


    "Yes, silly." Xu Jiaqi poked him on his forehead. "What else could we be? Two roommates who is going to exchange rings for friendship?" She joked.


    "..No." Tang Yizhou smiled. "It just feels so unreal. I met you by coincidence thanks to Yixiu, and then everything just spiralled out of control. I don''t even know the first thing that caught my eye from your entire persona.. I just knew that you were the one."


    "Cheesy as always, President Tang." Xu Jiaqi stole the ring box away, examining the pair of gifts she received with a keen eye. She saw that there was actually a small compartment inside the ring box that could be taken out, and would reveal another object below it.


    When she took it out, she saw that there was a key placed snugly on the bottom of the box.


    "And just where might this key lead to..?" Xu Jiaqi grabbed the key an turned to look at Tang Yizhou, who just pursed his lips.


    "A house. Do you.. still remember back when we first entered this suite? I''ve been thinking about moving to a new house where we could really settle in for good. I made it exactly in line with your likes, from the information I''ve collected during the time we''ve been together. I know that.. you might not feel assured just yet, being engaged to someone like me in less than a year after meeting, but I want you to know that I''m serious. Through and through. About you.. I love you from the deepest parts of my heart." Tang Yizhou confessed.


    "I don''t know if you feel the same way, if you think that I''m being too hasty or unrealistic.. I know that it must be hard for you to trust me. I know that. But like I''ve said time and time again in the past, I do think that you are the perfect choice for me. My soulmate. My one and only." Tang Yizhou spouted all of these words without batting a single eye, keeping a serious expression.


    Xu Jiaqi, on the other hand, held the key that would lead to their new home as she carefully thought inside her heart.


    "Qiqi.. I''m saying all of this, but please remember that I will always respect your choice. I came into this relationship fully knowing that I''m the one needing you, and not the opposite. If I still hadn''t managed to change your mind after all this time, then that''s on me and not you." Tang Yizhou chuckled. "Don''t put up such a heavy face, it hurts me when I think that you might force yourself to do something that you don''t like because I''m burdening you."


    "..In these times, you''re really eloquent." Xu Jiaqi sighed, and took her purse, inserting the key into one of the slits.


    Tang Yizhou didn''t say anything.


    "I''m only not with you in one thing. Do you know what it is, or do I need to spell it out for you?" Xu Jiaqi questioned.


    "I.. don''t know, to be honest. Care to tell me more, dear?" Tang Yizhou asked, his heart thumping a bit faster with each second, careful as to hear Xu Jiaqi''s words with his full attention.


    "You''re totally ignoring your own likes. Your focused on my preferences, but I''m not the only one in this relationship, am I? Your tastes can''t be the exact same as mine.. But you''re forcing yourself to live to my tastes just to satisfy me. Tell me, is that not the most pitiful thing ever?"


    "No..! I can bear it if it''s for you. I can bear anything."


    "That''s not the point, hm? I''m saying that.. You should incorporate your own wishes more. I don''t want you to just go along with everything that I say, follow my preferences blindly, and don''t consider your own point at all. I want this relationship to work, and I don''t want us to not be equals. I might not love you as much as you do for me, but I''ll make sure that you''re treated just as good. That, I can promise without fail."


    Tang Yizhou was stunned by her words. Turns out, she didn''t like this kind of thing out of everything else. "Y..es." He answered out of reflex, but his mind was still trying to process her words.


    "Come. Take me to the new house, I need to see just what you prepared, what you think I like." Xu Jiaqi smiled widely, getting up from her position as she beckoned for him to follow her.


    Tang Yizhou was still dumbfounded, but he quickly followed suit and attached himself to her, slithering his arm around Xu Jiaqi''s waist and walking with her by his side.


    "Yes, love." Tang Yizhou left a small peck on Xu Jiaqi''s face as they walked out of their suite and went to drive to their new location, the key hidden inside Xu Jiaqi''s bag nicely.


    A sign of acceptance that might or might not bloom to a bigger matter in the future.

 Chapter 223 - 4.49

    Xu Jiaqi and Tang Yizhou settled into their new home right after the conversation they had, and the fact that they were now engaged was later broadcasted to their close acquaintances at all. Not much knew about their love, as it was enough that only the two of them knew about it.


    Tang Yizhou was tortured by the fact that he had to leave Xu Jiaqi behind every single day to go to work because the woman would always kick him out of the house and tell him to manage his company. Even though he was reluctant, he went through with his promises and worked hard at the company. The thought of coming back home to see Xu Jiaqi nested in their private house made him excited and gave him extra motivation to work.


    Naturally, this gave a boost to his productivity, bringing his coworkers to wonder what had caused the originally already workaholic boss to escalate even further and reach taller heights. They noticed that the boss'' mood also improved, and couldn''t believe their eyes at some moments where they spotted him smiling while looking at his phone.


    Of course, the one he was contacting through his mobile phone was no one else but Xu Jiaqi, his fiance.


    The recent days had been very happy for him. The sole reason for his distress was the temporary separation from Xu Jiaqi, but compared to before they got engaged, the time they could spend together had actually skyrocketed. Xu Jiaqi even came to see him at the office from time to time, coming through from the private routes to not get discovered by many except for the ones Tang Yizhou trusted.


    The other reason was obviously regarding the Zhao family. Xu Jiaqi had asked him to suddenly stop his help and freeze the plan for the time being, to which he complied to but was still a bit dissatisfied by the order.


    His beloved wanted to prolong the court dealings, but for what? Why was she trying to stall time, when it would give the Zhao family extra days of happiness? He had ordered his own men to keep an eye on the Zhao family, and even after receiving a formal letter, they didn''t have a severe reaction and thought very little of his fiance''s summons.


    The Zhao family indeed didn''t think much of the case. That was, except for a certain person.


    _____


    "I don''t believe this! Why does she get to-" Zhao Xinran gripped tightly at her own hair, throwing things like pillows down to glass vases across her room and creating a loud sound that was overheard by even her parents. "I''m so fucking pissed. That bitch, she should just die and burn in hell! Why did she come back like this? So fucking annoying!"


    Her room was soundproof, so there was no way that her screams would be heard from the outside. She requested her room to be like this with the pretense of wanting to practice music instrument.


    The Zhao couple, who originally already had a complex against the multitalented Xu couple and even their daughter, agreed without much thought and gave Zhao Xinran her secluded space, which allowed the woman to scheme to no end in her own time without being seen or heard by a single soul.


    She had her own room, which she always locked and never allowed anybody else to enter. Through constructing a believable background story, she was able to dissuade anybody from ever entering the room.


    It was where she laid out all of her plans, acting like the mastermind that she was and letting herself go out of control. Relieving herself of all the pretenses and facing her true self.


    In the Zhao family''s living room, there was a letter that cleverly dictated their court case, and how Xu Jiaqi- the girl that they had manipulated for all these years was on the opposite side, the one who tried to convict them.


    The actions that they did might not be considered a heavy crime if it was just viewed from the surface, but Zhao Xinran thought differently. Xu Jiaqi''s tone had completely changed, making a one hundred and eighty degree turn.


    She was so confident, and was even successful. She had a lot of money, seeing as to how she was able to spend countless amounts on stream and boast about her lavish lifestyle.


    "That pretentious bitch. Does she think that I''m easy?!" Zhao Xinran screamed. "Xu Jiaqi, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you so fucking much! Die!"


    She kept on ranting, and ranting. Spiralling into a small fit of madness since it was her ''locked room''. The moment she came out of this room, she would revert back to her controlled facade.


    In a sense, Zhao Xinran was a psychopath that hid under people''s sight.


    "My parents.. they''re being too unreasonable. I know that even if I tell them, they won''t listen to me! Those stupid bastards.." Zhao Xinran bit her thumb nail as she cursed multiple times, stabbing a pen into the table she was sitting by and creating a dent.


    Zhao Xinran knew that her parents have certainly gotten cocky, to the point where they were near delusional. There was a reason why they never got successful on their own and only managed to taste a slight sense of glory after reaping off the profits of the dead Xu couple.


    Unlike those two, Zhao Xinran was someone who was capable of thinking further and orchestrating her every movement. She was an actor through and through, wearing her facade at every single moment of her life and only showing the true, ugly side of her to herself when she was alone.


    Her parents were not even aware of the face she constructed. They also thought that the Zhao Xinran shown to the public was more or less the true side of their daughter.


    Zhao Xinran broke into tears. Not out of sadness, but out of pure anger.


    The woman''s facade has let her to truly become deranged on the inside, no matter how perfect she seemed on the outside. When she let herself go, she would go into fits and tantrums as there was no one for her to bother over.


    Her expression crumpled up, and she bit her lip so hard that the skin almost broke and let blood seep out of the wound.


    "I won''t accept this. I won''t stay still. I definitely won''t. That bitch must be feeling confident and thinks that.. she will win the case. I don''t know how she managed to get supportive evidences for her case, but considering her attitude.. She must''ve gotten it in one way or another." Zhao Xinran wipes off her tears, carefully analyzing the events after she has regained her senses back by just a little bit.


    "I already asked Yu Xuan, but he hasn''t even told me in detail what he''s going to do.. That man is outrageous!" Zhao Xinran was infuriated, but she couldn''t offend Yu Xuan as much as she couldn''t oppose Song Ziyi.


    Yu Xuan indeed thought her as a fragile and gentle lady who deserved ultimate protection, so she concluded that the lack of reports must be due to his consideration towards her, thinking that she might get hurt if he told her the specifics of his plan. That must be why he was keeping her in the dark, but this didn''t benefit her at all in this situation.


    Yu Xuan was not the brightest person. If he was bright, then he wouldn''t have fallen into her trap. Song Ziyi was also naive, foolish, and arrogant. He was a narcissist, and the only reason why he got together with Zhao Xinran was because the woman deliberately played along to his preferences and matched his every rhythm in their interactions.


    She led him to think that she was his perfect match, the only one who can understand his entire being. She led him to not be able to think about another woman because she was the best one out of all of them, the one who provided him and his ego with nothing but the best treatment.


    Of course, she won''t let her empire fall down, especially after she has worked so hard for it up until now. Her parents might be stupid beyond repair, but she was confident that she could save it by her own.


    Using her connections, she would destroy Xu Jiaqi.


    First of all, she needed a way to convince Yu Xuan to let her get on the plan and influence him on how to deal with Xu Jiaqi. If she didn''t do such a thing, she was worried that he might do a dumb thing and ruin her chances even further.


    "It''s going to be alright.. Xinran, you are the best in the whole world. This is just a small stump that won''t get in the way for long.. Right. Just.. remove the stump and burn it into a crisp until it won''t be able to return again."


    Zhao Xinran laughed maniacally, entranced in her own series of thoughts. "Xu Jiaqi, just you wait.."


    "I''m going to destroy you a second time, just like how you originally fell apart in the first place."


    One time turned out to be not enough for the girl''s demise.


    Zhao Xinran was on board with the idea of reenacting the scene that happened years ago.


    This time, she would make sure that the girl would be broken forever.

 Chapter 224 - 4.50

    While Zhao Xinran began her immoral plans, Xu Jiaqi grew tired of waiting and tried her hardest to resist the urge to completely go ballistic and incinerate her enemies into ashes, even if it meant abusing her powers. However, restraining those feelings, she relented and ended up spending her days happily with Tang Yizhou, living to the brim and having all of her accommodation be taken care of without exception.


    She just needed to sit there and say the words, and the man would deliver anything that she wished for. It was such a blissful experience that she found herself at a loss sometimes.


    "Qiqi, what do you want to do today?"


    "You," Replying with a completely serious expression, Xu Jiaqi''s intentions was to joke around.


    However, the man, after being stunned for half a second, begun to actually take her words into account and undress right before her. Revealing his perfectly toned body for her to ogle all over.


    "...Okay, as much as I want to continue, I was just joking. Today, I have a meeting with a designer for my wedding dress. So.. there will be no treat for our precious President," Xu Jiaqi teased, tugging on his clothes and putting it back on to normal.


    Tang Yizhou widened his eyes. As promised when they first talked about it, the wedding preparations were indeed all left in the hands of Xu Jiaqi except for some technical matters that required the dealings of Tang Yizhou himself to get by.


    As such, this was his first time hearing about something regarding the wedding dress. He instantly grew excited at the thought of Xu Jiaqi wearing a wedding dress and looking perfect as she should.


    It must be an extremely endearing sight to witness.


    "When is it? I''ll accompany you there."


    "No. It''s going to be a big surprise. If I let the groom see, it would be a disaster. The shock factor won''t be as prominent."


    "Ao. Even if I''ve seen you in the dress for thousands of times, I reckon the excitement will never fade!" Tang Yizhou expressed without shame.


    "...Well, I''m not going to refute that claim, but still.. No. You''re not going to follow me to that place."


    Tang Yizhou sighed and gave up.


    "You still haven''t answered my question. When is the meeting?"


    "One hour from now. And on that note, the distance I need to travel for is quite far, so I need to get ready. In other words.. this is bye bye for now. See you, darling~" Xu Jiaqi blew a kiss over to the man as she got up and left, leaving the disappointed man behind scolding himself for asking those questions.


    Unfortunately, that would also escalate to become the biggest regret of his life right after.


    It didn''t take long until he received news that made him so unbelievably angered.


    _____


    Xu Jiaqi woke up to a dark warehouse with no one in sight when she came into sense.


    She had been heading to the designer''s location using her sports car. However, unbeknownst to the partner she left at home, she had a double mission for coming out under the premise of ''getting a dress''.


    She was trying to bait Yu Xuan, who recently had finally gotten his plans up and moving. He had been seeking for an opportunity after being manipulated by Zhao Xinran, but because Xu Jiaqi practically became a hermit under Tang Yizhou''s care, he never had a chance to actually put his plans into motion.


    However, responding to this, Xu Jiaqi created the opportunity that he sought and deliberately exposed herself to the incoming danger.


    She went off to a secluded area that didn''t have cameras stationed in the vicinity. Before long, she noticed that there was a black car with blurred plates following closely behind her trails.


    That was her prey, the one she was trying to bait out. The men that Yu Xuan sent to ruin her, although the actual mastermind behind the move was Zhao Xinran.


    She was obstructed in her path and allowed herself to be kidnapped into wherever they planned to take her to.


    In the process, she was knocked unconscious by the injuries inflicted upon her.


    ''Shit. I did think that the treatment would be bad, but to think that she''s willing to invest in all this.. Well.. No, Yu Xuan''s dedication to Zhao Xinran is the culprit.''


    [Host!!! You''re too relaxed about all of this! Host, you were nearly killed! If not for the System''s emergency protection, you. would''ve. died!]


    ''Well, I didn''t die, and that''s all that matters, right?''


    [Absolutely not.. Haa, that aside, what do you plan to do in this situation, Host? Clearly this isn''t going to end that well.. While you were unconscious


    ''I told you before.. The girl doesn''t have any chance of winning against me. Not to mention having your support, even if you weren''t here by my side, she still wouldn''t have won. Not in a million years'' chance.''


    [..So tell me, what have you prepared for this incident?] The System saw how confident she was in instantly knew that everything was under her control and that she was definitely completely safe in this operation.


    He still didn''t like how she was willing to take this heavy of a risk and endanger herself severely, though.


    ''How long has it been since I was brought here?''


    [About 6 hours. The men were really rough and hit your head multiple times as they brought you here. How crude!!]


    ''If you think that this kind of criminals would have a speck of elegance, then you must be heavily drunk, System.''


    Xu Jiaqi calculated inside her head. The thing she needed the most was proof that Zhao Xinran had done something terrible. If she played this right, then she could bring that vixen before her and capture her like a deer exposed to headlights.


    She was tied up, but since Yu Xuan only hired mere crooks, the ropes weren''t exactly the most high quality ones out there. Through summoning the sword that she possessed from the rewards and making a small cut into the rope, she successfully broke the reins just enough so that a single pull would be enough to break out of the ties.


    Now, it was time to wait for the main guest to arrive- Zhao Xinran.


    As expected, after spending some time waiting in the dark, Zhao Xinran came to visit her with a haughty expression, and a gun gripped tightly in her hands.


    "My, my. Just look at your state. How pitiful!" Zhao Xinran chuckled. "How are you, Qiqi? It''s me, the one you underestimated before. You must''ve thought that you already won the fight, but unfortunately.. That isn''t the case at all."


    Originally, the one to come and torture her shouldn''t be Zhao Xinran herself, but because the woman wanted to mock the other before her final destruction, she persuaded Yu Xuan to let her have a moment with Xu Jiaqi by herself without any other soul.


    Zhao Xinran positioned the tip of the gun towards Xu Jiaqi''s chest and began ranting out in a deranged manner. She emphasized that there would be nobody coming to save her because this location was one that was specifically prepared by Yu Xuan for her kidnapping, and that there was no way that anybody would find her before she met her demise.


    Of course, up until this point, she was still unaware about the external giant behind Xu Jiaqi that was the overprotective President Tang.


    ''System, you said this has been going on for six hours, right? Where is Tang Yizhou right now?''


    [Answering, the man is on his way over here. Host, you just need to lay low! You will be rescued soon, so please bear with this for a bit longer.]


    The System didn''t think much of his Host''s question and thought that everything would end soon in a peaceful way, and Xu Jiaqi would come out unharmed.


    ''Perfect.''


    However, Xu Jiaqi didn''t think in the same way.


    "It''s your fault. If only you didn''t get in my way, you wouldn''t have ended up here. If you just stayed in your lane and continued on your pathetic streaming farce of whatever that is.. You would''ve lived on."


    "But instead, you chose to hinder me! That phone call, it must''ve been made to mock me, right? Can you still mock me now? In that position?! Ha!"


    "In the end, I came out to be the winner. You can''t even say anything, you''re so scared that you can''t talk."


    Xu Jiaqi paid no heed to her words and kept contacting the System asking him for how far Tang Yizhou was.


    She waited, and waited, until the System finally said that Tang Yizhou was right beyond the door of the building she was held in.


    [Host, Tang Yizhou is just a few metres away!!]


    The System was excited and thought that this distressing incident would be over in no time.


    ''Done.'' Xu Jiaqi smiled as she finished the countdown in her heart.


    It was time.


    "Unfortunately, what I want to do has already been achieved. Zhao Xinran, I know it might be difficult to accept, but it''s your loss. Suck it." Xu Jiaqi whispered and stuck her tongue out as she ripped out the ropes that bound her, before placing her hands on the gun in a swift motion that couldn''t even be captured by Zhao Xinran''s eyes.


    The sensible thing to do must be to knock the gun away, right?


    Wrong.


    She pulled the trigger by herself.

 Chapter 225 - 4.51

    Before the shot connected, she moved to the side ever so slightly, making the bullet narrowly missing her vital organs but still leaving an extremely dangerous wound on herself.


    She smiled beautifully, exuding elegance as she fell onto the floor motionless. Leaving Zhao XInran, who didn''t think that she would actually be the one to shoot Xu Jiaqi and dirty her hands by herself shocked beyond words.


    "W-what..? Did she die? No way.." Zhao Xinran''s hands trembled as she tried to find solace within herself after the fear of shooting another human being and possibly killing her bloomed in her heart.


    "What did you say?!" In mere seconds after she said that, the door to the building was knocked down and revealed the anxious figure of Tang Yizhou, who felt like his heart was being ripped apart after he overheard her words.


    HIs gaze fell upon the unconscious Xu Jiaqi, who had blood seep out of her chest in a worrying amount. His mind was driven to think of the worst situation possible.


    Zhao Xinran stood still in shock as she was still trying to process the events that occurred, and how on Earth this outsider came here. However, her instincts immediately acted up and she raised her hand once again to aim at the man rushing towards Xu Jiaqi at full speed. She knew that she was in big trouble, and with the large amount of people who came to interrupt on her, there was no way she was going to survive this ordeal without being prosecuted.


    If so, then she needed to bring down as many people as possible with her.


    A crazy logic, yes. It made sense in the woman''s head, and that was all that mattered.


    However, Tang Yizhou was not someone who had slow reflexes. Rather, his innate reflexes could be compared to that of an athlete. Sensing the woman''s intentions, he quickly dodged and knocked the gun out of the way from the sides before pushing her down for good.


    Zhao Xinran cried out in pain, but she still struggled to get up and take the gun once more, wanting to fight for her chances. The gun was kicked by Tang Yizhou to a far distance before she could even reach it.


    "Capture that woman right now! Don''t let her go until I say so!" Tang Yizhou shouted, not willing to deal with the woman any longer and focused on Xu Jiaqi knowing that his men would be enough to take care of this crazy woman.


    "Qiqi, Qiqi! It''s going to be alright.." Tang Yizhou didn''t want to shake her body since it might worsen the injuries. He had prepared for the worst after her disappearance, so he came prepared as soon as he located this place.


    There was an array of trained bodyguards and paramedics who immediately swarmed into the building, immobilized Zhao Xinran, and began to check up on Xu Jiaqi.


    The medics acted quick, knowing that this woman was not a casual acquaintance of the person that employed them with a sky high pay.


    They looked at her wound and saw that it wasn''t perfectly on her vitals, and saw a chance of survival even though the bullet was so deep into the woman''s body.


    "We must act quick, Mr. Xu. Please excuse us as we take her to a better location." The medics carefully placed her on a body stroller and rushed her to the car, taking off to the nearest medical institution right away.


    ______


    With haste, precise skills, and a lot of intimidation from Tang Yizhou, Xu Jiaqi''s condition was stabilized by the best surgeon that they could find in such a short period of time.


    The bullet was removed, and the wound was treated properly. Along the entire process, one could only imagine how hellish it felt for Tang Yizhou, watching her stay unconscious even after three days had passed.


    She was put on all sort of relevant treatments, but not of that allowed her to wake up, making him anxious and terrified for life.


    They had just gotten engaged. They had just brought up the topic of marriage. There was supposed to be a long and unending path of happiness in front of them.


    So, what was this?


    Why did fate decide to take her away in such a bullshit manner?


    ____


    With each additional day of Xu Jiaqi not waking up, it was equivalent to his heart being ripped apart. The only consolation that he could rely on was that since the doctors claimed that Xu Jiaqi''s condition was fully stable, and the wound was healing, the only thing that prevented her from waking up is herself.


    There were many theories that the doctors presented him with, but thorough diagnosis did prove that the problem laid on Xu Jiaqi''s consciousness and her will, no longer her body.


    Since the devastating incident, a month had passed. During this period of time, the news feed was once again filled with Xu Jiaqi''s name and her long awaited case, along with rumors surrounding Tang Yizhou and his obvious preferrential treatment towards Xu Jiaqi.


    Tang Yizhou himself was one of the most desirable bachelors in the country, being a handsome, rich young man whose only drawback was his addiction to work.


    What relations he had with the unconscious streamer was unclear. The only thing that people knew was that this man protected Xu Jiaqi extremely well, to the point of moving Xu Jiaqi to a discreet institution so that external people won''t be able to selfishly enter.


    However, no matter how long he protected the frozen flower, the precious being just wouldn''t thaw out.


    _______


    "Qiqi, how was your day? I know that you like sleeping very much. You flooded our bed with new pillows and blankets, making a burrow for you to hide under. You made our home so comfortable.. Are you comfortable there too? In wherever you are right now.. Perhaps in a dream land that I won''t be able to enter. I hope you''re happy now. I want you to come back.. Going back to our home and seeing it so desolate pierces my heart and causes unimaginable pain. I haven''t gone there at all ever since you collapsed. How could I?"


    "I miss you so much. I love you, baby,"


    _______


    "I finally got another chance to visit. Qiqi, you''ve left me for so long. It''s been months.. I met your online acquaintance, Feng Qin. Come to think of it, back in the day, I''ve talked to him in the chat for quite a bit. Today, he came to visit you after I gave him permission. I was a bit hesitant at first, but that fella is quite nice."


    "He told me that he would come to visit his Goddess often. Who does he think he is? I''m clearly right here and he dared to say those things. How crazy,"


    "Right now, I still miss you a lot. I think of you every hour, every minute, every second. You''re in my head, never to disappear. It feels like torture.."


    Tang Yizhou stroked the sleeping woman''s face, restraining his tears and emotions as he sighed.


    _______


    "Qiqi, did you know? Today, I had to attend Yixiu''s graduation alone. After you knocked some sense into my mind.. I tried to converse with the boy. As you''ve said, he finally broke down and hugged me.. He was in tears, crying out the contents of his heart. We made up, resolved every misunderstanding we made, and we are now the best sibling duo you will ever see.. Once you wake up."


    "Qiqi, when will you wake up? Yixiu likes you very much as well, he addresses you as ''sister'' openly now. He visits a lot, and mentions your matter from time to time as well. It''s good to see that he''s like that."


    "He''s a good seed. Talented and hardworking, possessing a good character. I assisted him as much as possible, and now he is going to be on his way to go abroad for higher education. He told me not to worry about him, but I''m still anxious.."


    "But what makes me the most troubled is whenever I think about you not returning to my side. Not being in my embrace."


    _______


    "..The doctors told me that our efforts are futile, that you will never wake up. They can''t even determine what is causing you to be asleep for this long. Those bastards even tried to suggest pulling you off of life support. Truly a bunch of brainless folks."


    "I believe that you will come back to my side. Don''t worry, Qiqi. Even though others might doubt you, I won''t. Yixiu supports my cause as well.. He believed and respected my decisions. He''s been studying over there for some months, and he''s doing well. We''ve been in close contact as well.. If you can hear our voices even as you''re sleeping peacefully, then you should be aware of out video calls."


    "I hope you''re still going strong over there. As for me... I''m not doing too well, but I''m managing."

 Chapter 226 - 4.52

    "Qiqi, I''m really lonely here since you''re not by my side. I''ve been talking to you like this for so long.. It feels like years even though not much time has passed. Perhaps it''s because you''re always on my mind. Every single day, I feel a sense of.. foreboding fear that you might actually give up and leave me for good.. Just today, I woke up from a nightmare."


    "We were already so closed to tying our vows, standing on the aisle and interlocking hands.. But then, you suddenly vanished into fragments. That... won''t happen in relaity, right? You will return, right? I''m probably just thinking too much about this, but i can''t help but worry.."


    "You''re the strongest person I know, so you probably won''t do anything that comes close to what I experienced in my dream."


    "..."


    "I''ll come back tomorrow, just like always. Sleep well, Qiqi."


    ______


    It''s about time you returned, don''t you think? Seasons have changed two times.. I was looking forward to spending time with you in fall. It''s my favorite season, but we just skipped it altogether. How troubling, en?"


    "That''s why, you have to come back soon..."


    lso, I''m really sorry. I couldn''t hold back my anger and took care of the Zhao family. Those pests are all gone now.. I know that you''ve always wanted to get revenge using your own hands, but I just couldn''t take it anymore.. I placed them in their most suitable position, in a prison that they will never be able to escape. They will rot in that filthy place forever... I will make sure that they stay in there for the rest of their lives. That''s not even comparable to what you suffered under in my opinion, you know? I''m still very angry."


    "If you came back, my anger will all be dissipated in a flash."


    "I can''t possibly be angry in front of you, my sweetheart."


    ______


    Good evening, Qiqi. It''s been one whole year. Even if you love resting, isn''t this a bit too much? You''re a big bully!"


    "One year passed by.. It felt so fast, yet so slow. I don''t really know, but I.. just lost track of how time passed. I don''t really know how I feel about all this.. The only reason I''m able to live through another day even when I feel like I''m going to fall apart is because your life.. Your pulse stays alive. Your condition is stable, and you''re not in any pain.. At least from your injuries."


    "Qiqi, tell me if anything is causing you to be hurt in your dream land. I''ll definitely.. Whatever methods it takes for me to jump over there and rescue you, I will be willing to do it."


    "Ah, don''t worry, though. I''m still taking good care of my company because I know that you will not be happy if you suddenly woke up and saw me in a bad condition. To me, you are as precious as an irreplaceable treasure that no one else is worthy to touch. To match you.. Of course I have to strive to be the best at everything so that you won''t be wronged."


    "I will continue to wait for you, so please come back soon, my darling.". Thank the heavens.. You''re finally awake, my Qiqi!" Tang Yizhou held her tight, but then realized that he might hurt her, so he relaxed his grip and wiped off the tears that escaped his eyes.


    ______


    "...Two years. Qiqi, you''re quite cruel. Today.. Am I even allowed to say that it''s an anniversary? No, right? I shouldn''t. But.. saying that it is makes my spirits lift up a bit. Because anniversaries are supposed to be a celebration of sorts.. Well, that''s not always the case. I would hate it if you stayed asleep for even one day longer than what we already passed through, but if that''s your choice, what you want to do, then I don''t really have any power to.. dissuade you from doing so."


    "I love you, Qiqi. I''ve never lost my hope in you.. I hope you know that. I love you so much."


    _______


    [Why isn''t Host waking up? No matter what I do.. She''s not responding. Her soul''s vitals are still alive, but I can''t sense her consciousness...]


    The System had been working on his Host''s recovery for all this time, but he had never gotten a chance to even come in contact with the woman who disappeared into nothing.


    [The Host is definitely not in the mortal realm. She''s somewhere in the Void Realms, but..]


    No matter how much he checked, she was not present in their own separate realm, the System''s space.


    Could she have wandered off somewhere?


    Every single day, amidst his searches, he would glance over to the mortal world where her pristine body laid on. For some reason, the man would be there nine times out of ten, as if he had nothing better to do than to crowd his Host''s space.


    ....


    Well, he had to admit, the man was really dedicated. To be able to stick to his Host all the time like this.


    Even so, he couldn''t help but loathe the man slightly because he suspected that the biggest reason why this all happened in the first place lied with this man.


    The System was vexed and filled with uncertainty, but he distracted himself from the poisonous topic.


    _______


    One day, the System was suddenly notified of a change in Xu Jiaqi''s soul. The continuous pings told him that the Host had finally returned after so much time had passed.


    Immediately, he dropped everything he was doing and rushed to meet the Host, to which he really encountered her sitting still in the System space.


    However, one thing was awfully strange about her. Her eyes were completely blank, as if she was nothing but a doll that possessed no soul in her body.


    She sat down, unmoving and unbothered by the interruption of the System. As if she couldn''t even recognize the mechanical baby at all.


    The System was an expert at its job, even though it didn''t have that much experience in terms of time. The deepest, most intricate knowledge was ingrained inside its program as part of the ''special'' agent perks he received to cater for Xu Jiaqi''s case.


    As such, Xu Jiaqi''s ailment quickly resurfaced inside his memories, tracking the details down and diagnosing her.


    It was a state that was affected by one''s soul and its movements or changes.


    A state that they called ''Reset''.


    It''s name was ''Reset'', because it literally was a form that the soul purged itself into whenever it sensed something dangerous, be it due to a conscious or unconscious change.


    When one was in the Reset phase, not to mention their mortal body, even their astral body would be laid dormant and not be able to respond to any external factors.


    The state made the body specifically focused on shutting itself down in order to recuperate and repair the damages that occurred.


    If the damages couldn''t be repaired, then unless the problem was handled from the outside, there was no way of pulling the soul out of this wretched state.


    [Why.. to the Host?] The System tried to think about the possible causes.


    He had always kept a close watch on the Host, worrying over every single threat that they could face.


    The Host risked her life when she took the bullet, but it should''ve only affected her mortal body, but not down to the astral body and soul.


    The fact that she was in ''Reset'' meant that something injured her other than the bullet wound. An attack.. whether malicious or not, caused Xu Jiaqi''s soul to register it as an unavoidable injury and decided to shut itself off as a form of emergency protection.


    The System twirled around the Host''s body as he contemplated the current situation.


    There were several ways to pull someone out of ''Reset'', but most of it had repercussions and negative consequences for both him and the Host.


    Reset phase meant that the soul was akin to being frozen up and hidden inside a massive block of ice that was hard to penetrate through. It protected the soul, but also left little to no chances of coming out of the gigantic block of ice.


    He ran checks all over Xu JIaqi''s state and discovered that his Host''s particular case was even worse than he estimated. Not to mention a block of ice, it was more like a mountain. A humongous mountain.


    However, rather than having to place his hope upon nothing, having his Host''s astral body in front of him made him so relieved that he thought he could pass out right away. At least he knew that the Host was safe, unable to be harmed and yet unable to get out of her dormant condition.


    He must work to the maximum extent to free her out of that misery.


    The System was fired up as he began to cheer and work on this new subject.

 Chapter 227 - 4.53

    [Operation Rescue the Host has officially begun!]


    [A short recap of what the Host went through.. Haa, well, I actually don''t really know what she went through, I just know that.. Tsk.]


    In the middle of the System space, everyone''s beloved little System was floating around an unresponsive Xu Jiaqi''s astral body.


    The System mumbled words of reluctance in accepting his fate. He had tried for days to no end in fixing the Host''s condition. There was nothing wrong with her soul, but it was just that..


    It appeared that she was isolated from the world. Like she was kept in a separate space that he couldn''t ponder upon. He tried to locate her coordinates, wishing that perhaps the Gods would take pity on him and show him the way to where his Host was.


    He was pretty certain that so long as he was able to locate her, he would be able to reformat the Reset phase and return her back to normal.


    This was the scary part about dealing with agents, who were stripped of their ''origins'' and reduced to nothing but a wandering soul even if there was a System that acted as their manager.


    Since Xu Jiaqi had only gone through so little worlds, she wouldn''t have a strong enough connection to be permanently included in the world''s database, in their management process.


    For super high ranking agents with tons of achievements tied down to their names, they would be awarded special perks that scaled up with their ranks.


    As for Xu Jiaqi, for impartial reasons, even if she did have a special identity.. She didn''t have such perks and couldn''t be prioritized as much as he wanted to.


    [Wuwuwu.. Host, I miss you..] The System cried out.


    No matter what, she was his Host. Although she was an eccentric, peculiar person, she was someone he came across, someone he contracted, and one he swore to manage and protect.


    And now, he had failed to accomplish that task. He lost her to something that he was unaware of.


    It was so vexing. His Host didn''t even tell him what she was going to do, hurting herself so badly like that even though he repeatedly told her to wait for Tang Yizhou to come and settle this matter in peace.


    It would''ve been much safer.


    Well.. Nonetheless, deep down inside his heart, he knew that the bullet wound was not the culprit of his Host''s unending slumber at all.


    It might''ve been a contributing factor at first, but the one who actually stole the Host away, it couldn''t have been shy of a higher being that messed with his Host.


    He did try to contact the Main System for help, but somehow there hadn''t been a response yet.


    He understood that time could flow differently, and all the respective tasks jamming the System could set him back, but how could there not have been a response sent by any of the administrators when a literal agent disappeared and even fell into Reset when they came back?


    Especially when.. the agent was Xu Jiaqi, an extremely important figure.


    The System did have his suspicions, but he retracted all of them for now. There was no use crying and counting on the Main System if they weren''t going to help in the first place.


    He ought to invest his time in something more productive.


    As he sighed, tired due to the inexplicable dilemma, he suddenly received a reaction in the space.


    It wasn''t a reaction from his Host, but he hadn''t done anything yet. Receiving a reaction like this, it could mean several things.


    Either the administrator sent a response, or.. his Host returned!


    He rushed to check on his database and found out that the plight was actually from something else and not what he had assumed.


    It was a quest window that opened up.


    Particularly, the previously locked side quest.


    [..The side quest?] The System perked up, looking at the stray notification bar that rang carefully. Trying to analyze and inspect its elements. [This is..]


    He wasn''t allowed to look at it before the conditions were triggered as well even though he was the System who assigned it, so he had no idea what the quest was.


    He was able to be sure that the quest was genuinely triggered, but who did it?


    If it wasn''t him..


    Ah! Could it be...


    The System''s mind began to draw the picture and piece out the puzzles together.


    [This must be the answer.. The Host had just triggered it!]


    The fact that the quest was unlocked was plenty of proof for the System that the Host was at least doing something. She was conscious, although not in the same realm as him.


    In there, she managed to trigger the side quest.


    Somewhere. She was alive and well somewhere.


    That fact alone already made him overflowed with happiness.


    [Host.. Please wait for me! This System.. shall use the hint you gave me to the fullest extent!!] The System became fired up once again.


    Since the side quest was triggered outside the current realm they stayed in, that further fortified his theory that an external being was the one who caused mischief.


    He could narrow it down. He will.


    [A higher being with their own realm.. Who snatched my Host away.]


    [That''s..]


    The System looked downwards to the mortal realm and saw that Tang Yizhou was there, sitting by his Host''s side and stroking her face gently.


    [..No. If it was him, the Host wouldn''t have entered the Reset phase. It''s too dangerous, that being wouldn''t have risked anything like that happening to the Host.]


    [A being who isn''t afraid of hurting the Host, is familiar with her to the point of taking her away for unknown reasons...]


    He tried to think what might''ve caused it. At the time of the incident, what occurred?


    Xu Jiaqi''s collapse. Along with it, the shaken up Tang Yizhou barged in with huge emotional turmoil.


    ..Was that it?


    Xu Jiaqi and Tang Yizhou, their souls were bound even though both of them were not fully aware of it yet. They could definitely sense what the other was feeling, so..


    If the emotional spike was what prompted the Host''s soul to enter the Reset phase, what was the likely sequence of events?


    The System ran through a list of candidates from any plausible higher being that could be motivated to do such a thing.


    There was one likely candidate that checked out all of the criteria for this bastardly crime.


    The one who governed over..


    Fate.


    Right.. If it was that man, it might just be possible.


    No, it was highly likely that the lord was the culprit.


    It was no wonder that the administrators didn''t send any responses back. If the lord willed for it, then he might''ve manipulated some strings here and there.


    After all, he was someone who was known to be embroiled in some ambiguous relationship with the former Host.


    [This is going to be troublesome.. Haa..] The System wanted to hand in a resignation letter if his whole existence wasn''t based on the cycle of agents in the first place.


    He had to get Xu Jiaqi back by any costs. And to do that, he had to interrupt in the fate lord''s business.


    It was definitely going to turn out into a strenuous exercise for his pure little heart.


    _____


    The System did as he had planned, using every single means possible to try and create a loophole in the System. The side quest popping out like that managed to give the System some rough coordinates to where Xu Jiaqi was currently at.


    Not to mention, since they were contract bound, it wasn''t wrong to say that the Host and him were both bearers of the same essence threads.


    Due to that, he was able to do far more than what he anticipated, using every single last bit of his brain cells to ''feel'' where the Host was after he narrowed down several realms that would be able to restrain his Host and jam the connections.


    One of these ought to contain the lord of fate.


    And indeed, one day, he hit a lucky jackpot and managed to break the impossible bar.


    He found where Xu Jiaqi was. The Host''s essence resonated with his and created a reaction. A genuine reaction that couldn''t have been forged.


    [I did it! I did it!!!1] The System was full with joy, but there was another problem.


    How on Earth would he be able to interrupt upon the lord of fate?


    In his plans, he briefly mentioned over it, convincing himself that the thinking should be done for later when he had discovered his final target.


    But now that he was here..


    It was a big problem that he couldn''t solve.


    ________


    The lovely System didn''t know yet, but he didn''t need to have worried so much over Xu Jiaqi.


    The Lord of Fate already had a set decision inside his mind. When he summoned the girl over to his realm, never did he think that he was going to harm the girl.


    In fact, it was the complete opposite. It could be said that taking her here was considered a form of protection for the woman.


    ________


    System: Wuwuwu, Host, come back soon please~


    Xu Jiaqi: Shush, the strange old man is here to get me, I''m trying to kill him.


    The strange old man (Fate Lord): .... Child, my patience can only stretch so far.

 Chapter 228 - 4.54

    The System couldn''t described how he felt when the Host reappeared before his eyes, this time able to move and talk, respond back to him. Unlike the years he spent in the space struggling to get any sort of reaction from the Host, only to find out that the one who caused all of this trouble was a being that was in an authority category so far away from him that he didn''t even know how he could get himself out of this trouble.


    He trusted his guts and forced himself to try every option. Then, one day, the Host was returned back to him. It was just a lucky stroke. Perhaps the Lord of Fate himself had already guessed that this would happen, since he was, indeed, someone who controlled the flow of fate.


    Even so, he wasn''t capable of fully manipulating what happened with the fate. He was tasked to watch it, and govern over it, but the one who assigned the respective fates to each living being was not him but rather a built in system. He was, still, capable of tweaking the matters here and there, but high manipulation was considered a taboo and would garner him a lot of karmic sins and potentially threaten his position.


    After all, above him, there was still the venerable and omnipotent being he couldn''t touch.


    However, this lord had a peculiar relationship with Xu Jiaqi, albeit the woman no longer bearing the memories that related to the lord''s appearance after everything was reset and reverted back to zero.


    The Lord of Fate originally disliked Xu Jiaqi for how much of an anomaly she was, and how persistent she and the being she was with became when it was about defying fate. As someone who was tasked to maintain the balance of the universe''s fates and correct the mistakes, dangers, or threats..


    Xu Jiaqi was a being that he loathed since it gave him so much work to think about. The couple broke all boundaries of common sense, all the rules, laws, everything. Just to preserve their love in a universe that defied them being together.


    These two powerful beings, each possessing a power similar if not more powerful than his, chasing each other and breaking the flow of fate. If that wasn''t his biggest nightmare, he didn''t know what else deserved that title.


    But then, as time passed, and the woman kept coming back to him, he started to have sympathy. It was a strange feeling, because he was a being created to be impartial and lacking in emotions. He wasn''t meant to mingle with other beings. A solitary figure.


    It was laughable, but while he was able to change a lot for others'' fates, he was completely powerless in changing his own. His lonely position. Bearing it for thousands upon thousands of years, it was his first time coming across a mental patient like Xu Jiaqi who was so addicted in tearing herself apart like no other person would.


    Every single time she came back to him, her state would get more and more.. destroyed. Broken. He could tell that the originally pure Goddess'' conditions started to deteriorate because she fought with fate every single day. The retribution that came along with that sort of feat was not light. It was no wonder that she got to that bad of a state, but..


    As time passed, a small slit in his heart was made. Seeing the woman defy everything like she was invincible, even if she wasn''t. It sparked something inside him that he didn''t even think he was capable of feeling.


    A mixture of emotions that he both appreciated and loathed. It disgusted him, but he also wanted to find out more.


    Xu Jiaqi, to him, was a rather special existence. One that he..


    ______


    Ding!


    The System was notified of another change in the space. This time, he wondered what it was. What could it be?


    If it was another side quest, he convinced himself that he was going to try and destroy the Main System.


    They refused to help him in any sort of way except for sending cryptic quests.. He didn''t even understand what the quest meant! It was filled with symbols that he couldn''t read, which was awfully bizarre to think about.


    He was programmed with adaptability to every single matter in the universe, in order to assist him with the job of a System. But then, this thing.. he couldn''t comprehend anything about it no matter how he investigated.


    It was uncanny, but there was nothing he could do. He left it aside as his main target was nobody else but the Lord of Fate who stole his Host away.


    Luckily, the Main System would not end up incurring the wrath of an extremely frustrated little System any longer.


    That was because.. This time, the signal that was sent derived from the one he had been looking and trying to save for all this time.


    His Host, Xu Jiaqi.


    In the corner of his eyes, he spotted Xu Jiaqi''s astral body finally gleaming with an aura of life and showing movements.


    [Host.. Host!!!] The System, who was finally reunited with Xu Jiaqi cried out and rushed to her side, dropping all of his work.


    [You finally returned.. Did you know how much this System worried about you?]


    "..Hahah. I.. I''m back, am I?" Xu Jiaqi was also taken aback. Just a few moments ago, she was still in that.. place.


    She didn''t know what caused her to be taken there, but there was one thing that she was certain of after meeting ''that being''.


    Xu Jiaqi bit her lips.


    _______


    ...


    "It seems like I don''t have much time left. I have to admit, that little System of yours is a rather ferocious fellow. He has been trying his hardest to find where we are right now. Upon finding out, he tried everything to break into this manufactured world..."


    "Well, he succeeded. That''s good for him. This world is going to collapse soon, the little guy found out how to interrupt our secret meeting. I used a lot of power to get you here and tell you everything that I could.. That should do for now. You can go back soon, are you happy? You won''t have to see my face again."


    "..Remember,"


    "You are the only one who can revert the balance back to normal. As long as you continue to go through the worlds, then you will be able to meet me one more time. When that time comes, I will tell you more, and show you what you have to do."


    Xu Jiaqi, who have been placed under a strange magic that disabled her from talking was finally freed from the uncomfortable spell and regained her ability to form speeches.


    Her gaze was filled with uncontrollable hatred and loathing. She didn''t know why, but there was a pure form of anger looming inside her heart right now. She was someone who used to boast that she could control her calmness at any given moment, and would even mock others for not being able to manage their emotions at times.


    And now, in the face of this being, she was feeling all sorts of explosive emotions that she couldn''t suppress.


    "Why do I have to follow what you''re telling me? How can I be sure that you''re not just.. lying and trying to fool me? It''s you who took me here forcefully.. If you know who I am, you should also know that I hate being ordered around the most."


    The being, whose figure was blurred, chuckled.


    Even the sound of his chuckled made her frustrated by a lot.


    "Listen, broken soul."


    "I know more than you will ever do. You have changed a lot since when we last met, but that doesn''t change anything. There seems to be an inlaid response within yourself that forces you to.. well, I won''t say anything unnecessary."


    "You just need to know that.."


    "You will eventually beg the heavens just to be able to meet me. Even now, as we are speaking.. You are already in the process of falling. It shouldn''t take long before you come back and ask for my assistance. It''s not the first time this has happened. I can at least tell you that much, my old friend."


    "..You''re very confident, hm?"


    Xu Jiaqi gritted her teeth as she started to feel pain all over her body, as if she was an evil spirit being purged by a holy power.


    The being laughed at a much higher scale than his previous ones.


    "I am. And I will continue to do so.. Because you are someone who chose to escape the wheel of fate again and again. To the point where you were subjected to a distorted fate. As the one who governs over it, you are an existence that should''ve been my enemy."


    "My confidence is stemmed over the fact that.. You need me in order to survive. That is all I can say, as for the rest of the puzzle pieces.. You can find them on your own and solve the big problem by yourself. At that time, we shall eventually meet again."


    "I hope, by then, we will meet on a much happier tone, with you achieving the happiness that you longed for so many years to no end."

 Chapter 229 - 4.55

    Xu Jiaqi gritted her teeth, a venomous glare aimed towards the bizarre figure being launched. In return, the figure just kept on laughing, as if mocking Xu Jiaqi for the situation while at the same time taking pity for it.


    Her last bits of energy was depleted as she struggled to get out of the shackles that pinned her down out of nowhere, and the world literally breaking apart with large crevices appearing in the blank space and covering everything up, gobbling the entire place in void didn''t help in the slightest.


    Xu Jiaqi felt an overwhelming sense of uneasiness as she tried to get away from the void, but still ended up being consumed by it anyway.


    The figure, who was left behind, watched as he was once again left alone, the woman disappearing from his sights.


    "..What a nostalgic meeting." He whispered, snapping his fingers once to teleport to another place.


    _______


    Xu Jiaqi didn''t detail the whole incident, but still left the huge pieces of information that she thought the System needed. Her disappearance was indeed uncanny, but the strangest thing was the time difference.


    Perhaps it was because the realm was truly not a legitimate space, but rather just a half-done copy.. The time flow was extremely broken. Incomparable to the realm their missions laid within as of now.


    According to Xu Jiaqi''s experience, only a few hours at most should''ve passed. The first few hours was spent unconscious, whereas the last hour went to the talk with the figure.


    Every single time she tried to think about that annoying being, it irked her beyond repair.


    "Can you tell me who that was? The being said that.. You know him, and that you were the one who saved me." Xu Jiaqi questioned.


    [...Logically speaking, I don''t think I did much. I did locate you and pinpoint your exact location, but until the end.. Was I even able to make a change? If anything, I suspect that the being had originally only wanted to keep you in there until he finished talking before ejecting you out forcefully. Not for any other reasons like keeping you restrained there.]


    [I do know who that being is, and coming in contact with him just solidified my guess even further. Unfortunately, it''s the same old story.. I can''t tell you unless we advance a lot further.]


    "..I guess so. We haven''t even completed the fourth world yet, I shouldn''t expect much.. That''s what you want to say, right? Well, you''ve got me. Thank you for working so hard to rescue me, little baby." Xu Jiaqi smiled.


    "Above all, I''m really thankful that you helped me. It was not a pleasant experience.. Being made to feel like I was completely powerless in front of him." Xu Jiaqi sighed. "Really not a good experience."


    After that, they continued to talk some more, before the System was reminded of the big elephant in the room. They were still in the System space. In the mortal world, a lot of things had happened as Xu Jiaqi disappeared for quite some time.


    The biggest culprit to every incident was waiting by Xu Jiaqi''s body right this very moment.


    Tang Yizhou. This man was undoubtedly the one who was most affected both physically and mentally in this whole process. He was drained, his whole world started falling apart the moment Xu Jiaqi disappeared.


    The System, worried about how much the man could spiral downwards even further if he was left alone brought the matter up.


    [Ah, right, Host.. How are you feeling right now? Since you have merged back with your astral body, even though your mortal body is in a little bit of a problem, I will certainly be able to send you back down there. If you''re ready, please tell me, I will set the whole thing up.]


    Since quite some time had passed without the soul and the body having a concrete connection, the thread that bound the two entities together had weakened. This meant that Xu Jiaqi was actually incapable of going back to the mortal world by herself, and needed some extra steps before she could go there.


    "..Right now would be fine. I was in a coma, right? Even if I''m sluggish in the mortal world, it shouldn''t poise any problems. It''s not anything out of the ordinary." Xu Jiaqi said.


    The System also thought that it was reasonable.


    [Okayy!] The System activated his processes and sent the Host, down, wishing her good luck on her misadventures.


    ____


    After she transferred back to the mortal world, she slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to the side slightly. This small movement was picked up by Tang Yizhou''s sharp eyes.


    His whole body immediately trembled, as he got closer to confirm that the pale and sickly lady''s eyes was indeed open, even though it was just a little. He stretched his hand out, letting his fingers linger upon the woman''s skin, ever so gently as to not cause any sort of harm to her.


    Tang Yizhou called up the attending doctors right away with a stern tone. He watched as the woman began to regain her vitality, fully opening her eyes and moving her head. After such a long time, her mobility was considerably affected, and she suffered a lot of tension in her body.


    "...Yizhou." With her utmost effort, she uttered his name to the world. Her voice was weak and small, but it was of no matter.


    This word. This one word was enough to send the esteemed President Tang into tears, as he broke into small sobs and uncontrollable nodding.


    "Yes. I''m here, Qiqi. I''m here." Tang Yizhou cried out, holding her hand tightly. The woman he loved had returned, and the first thing she said was his name. He couldn''t even begin to describe it in words. The emotions he felt. Everything.


    The thing he had wished for had finally been delivered to his hands. It took years, but that wasn''t relevant. As long as Xu Jiaqi was here by his side, he didn''t care about anything else- he had realized this fact somewhere in between their relationship.


    To this date, Xu Jiaqi was akin to a pillar of support that held his heart upright. Removing her from his life was the same as toppling down his heart. He acted like a robot devoid of any sort of emotions. The only form of salvation he had in his suffering was the time he spent in the hospital, watching over her serene appearance as she slept without care.


    He had regarded it as cruel sometimes. She had left him behind like this. It made him consider doing the same thing as her, forcing himself to sleep right beside her. They could rest together, and that was an idea that made him happy.


    But he never pushed through with that purpose because he knew that the woman wouldn''t like it, and would even scold him for being foolish and not sensible. He knew her.


    And as such, he continue forward even if it felt like pure torture to him.


    "...Hi," Xu Jiaqi croaked out. "Sorry for everything.. Can you fetch me a glass of water?"


    "Right now, if you were to tell me that your request was burning down the whole world, I would use up everything to try and accomplish it." Tang Yizhou fumbled with his words. He didn''t even know what he was saying, but he just wanted to talk. Wanted to converse with the woman.


    His hands moved about and poured sterile water that was prepared by the side. He had longed for this very moment. Thousands upon thousands of times. It never happened.


    Today, somehow, she came back to him. Like an angel falling down from the sky, she recovered even though everybody else had told him to drop the matter and move on from her.


    He didn''t do that, he would never dare to do anything like that.


    He would rather wait for an eternity rather than intentionally bringing her life to an end, even if she wasn''t conscious. Just the mere thought of her still breathing brought him joy.


    "..Water is enough." Xu Jiaqi coughed, covering her rather chapped lips with her hand.


    Tang Yizhou hurriedly supplied the fresh water, helping her gulp the entire cup down. It instantly made Xu Jiaqi feel refreshed.


    "Come here, come closer," Xu Jiaqi beckoned for him to approach her. He did, and ended up receiving a gift that surpassed anything else he knew.


    A small peck on the lips. So light, so fluttery. Like a feather accidentally touching his lips. So sweet and filled with happiness.


    "I didn''t buy any presents when I was in the dream land, so this is all you will get. It''s a bad souvenir, but it will have to do, en?"


    A bright smile from the woman.


    It illuminated his world.


    The separation was over. She was back.


    There shouldn''t be any more tears spilled, but..


    He couldn''t stop it. Couldn''t hold himself back as he broke down in tears in front of her, into a melting puddle of chaotic emotions.


    "..En,"


    A small sound of agreement was all he could say in return.

 Chapter 230 - 4.56

    "It''s the greatest gift that I have ever received." Tang Yizhou said.


    "...Surely you jest." Xu Jiaqi giggled, sighing before breaking into a coughing fit and turning her head away, to which Tang Yizhou reacted negatively and offered more water to her.


    "Where the hell are the doctors? Qiqi, I''m going to drag them there, so please stay put, alright? I won''t leave for long, it will just be for a short while. Is it alright?"


    "Of course! Why are you asking about such a thing.. Besides, I''m not sick, am I? It''s just that my body is a bit weak after being unconscious for so long, probably. There''s nothing out of the ordinary." Xu Jiaqi defended her condition.


    "...You can''t be fully sure, so I will have you undergo a series of tests for your own wellbeing. I just.. don''t want to lose you any further than what I already went through. Please.. understand this, Qiqi." Tang Yizhou hugged her one last time before rushing out of the room and


    Being left behind, Xu Jiaqi sighed and rolled her eyes. He was overreacting. Though, she did feel bits of pain here and there. Especially her head, which had now contracted a migraine that she deduced to not be able to go away anytime soon.


    However, the most important thing is that she was back.


    She sat still without moving before calling out to her helper.


    ''System, is everything alright? Does anything else need to be sorted out?''


    Xu Jiaqi didn''t feel like anything was off with her except for her ringing headache, but she still wanted to make sure.


    [Nope! I already fixed everything. Don''t worry, Host! You can continue forth like usual from now on.] The System spoke.


    ''Okay.. That''s good. So, it''s about time we discuss the thing you mentioned before. The side quest, right? It appeared out of nowhere, you said?''


    The System had reported to her about it, but she wanted to return as soon as possible first.


    [Yes, Host. Originally, I thought that it was triggered because you finished something in the realm you were in, but since you told me that all you did was talk with that being.. I''m suddenly more lost than ever.]


    It was clear to Xu Jiaqi was not the one who triggered anything in particular. And yet, the quest was unlocked for only the System to see, whereas Xu Jiaqi was blocked off from using her powers in the other realm.


    The two thought about the matter deeply, knowing something was off and yet not being able to put their hands on the solution.


    After some consideration, Xu Jiaqi voiced out a theory.


    ''...What if the one who helped break the realm was actually not the being himself, but rather an external force who assisted the break in?''


    [..? What are you suggesting, Host?]


    ''I''m just saying.. Because it seemed like the being actually had more to say, but.. Somewhere in between, before the realm even began to show signs of collapse, he had a moment where he was distracted.. Similar to that. He abruptly stopped his speech, and even though I couldn''t see his face, I had a feeling that.. Well, I don''t really know.''


    [Uhh.. If that''s the case, then- Ah! Could it be, the being who helped us deliberately triggered the quest so that I could track you down and help your case?]


    ''That might be it. Though, I''m just guessing around. I''m just as clueless as you are in this predicament, unfortunately. I was taken there, but I didn''t really get much to do as he just talked by himself and relayed what he wanted. It wasn''t really a conversation.'' Xu Jiaqi sighed.


    [Hmm.. I will have to look into that further at a later time. For now, I think we could just roam around and hope that the quest information would be triggered in one way or another. By the events that you detailed, it seems like the quest was really just used as a signal for me to pick up and wasn''t meant to actually reveal any information.] The System summarized, to which Xu Jiaqi fully agreed as she had also thought in a similar fashion.


    ''Then, my first and foremost goal will be to recap whatever happened while I was away. You can continue with your investigation, I will be fine on my own.''


    One dynamic that changed ever since they went through the worlds was the System''s involvement in the work. Previously, back in their very first tutorial world, the System followed and aided her through the world from start to finish, making sure that she was perfectly fine. However, after more worlds were completed, the dynamic had been replaced with a split in workforce.


    The System focused more on the technical side, whereas Xu Jiaqi went full on with her acting and creating her persona. Thus, they were able to work separately whilst also keeping the same goal intact with no problems at all after adjusting with the missions.


    It was a progression that was built by trust and approval upon each other''s abilities, believing that both of them were able to hold their own grounds with no problems at all.


    _____


    "Miss Xu, after experiencing years and years of injustice and being treated like a fool, how do you deal with your overflowing hatred towards the inhumane culprits? There are many speculations that surround this hot news spreading across the internet."


    "Regarding the matter that I have previously discussed, I no longer have any lingering attachments towards my attackers, but I do think that justice is something that needs to be served no matter what crime was committed." Xu Jiaqi gave a very basic answer and smiled. "I have learned to let go, but that doesn''t mean I will let them off easy. That is what I mean to do."


    "How about...."


    "...."


    Xu Jiaqi had a press conference held for her return right after she was released from the hospital.


    With this being Xu Jiaqi''s first public appearance under her real name and not her internet pseudonym, Xu JIaqi naturally garnered massive amounts of attention and had to face a barrage of incoming reporters who saw this as an opportunity to milk the case to the max.


    The buzz that followed the series of incidents from Xu Jiaqi''s recuperation to her return to the streaming world quickly blended together, but no one thought that Xu Jiaqi was in the fault in anything.


    Even though they were in the unknown about the layers of fraud that Xu Jiaqi laid out in order to reach this point in her life.


    It took her quite some time before everything was settled and done.


    Today, they bonded together in their living room. Tang Yizhou and Xu Jiaqi, holding each other in their arms while watching a random TV series with a plate of oranges placed beside them.


    "It''s finally over. I thought that they would pursue the matter even further, but turns out it''s this easy." Xu Jiaqi laid against Tang Yizhou''s chest, sighing in relief as she tried to peel an orange before getting frustrated after the fruit wasn''t peeled in one go.


    Tang Yizhou snatched the orange away and peeled it for the woman, taking pleasure in feeding her and even pinching her cheeks while he was at it.


    "It''s not over yet, you know? What about the Song monkey? How do you plan to deal with him? He also caused you a great deal of trouble, right?"


    Tang Yizhou had a large deal of grudges against the man, as he had been trying to hold back from officially killing his life while also suppressing him to the max.


    "He did, didn''t he? Hmm.. His matter, shall I leave it up to the lovely President Tang? Surely, he would be dealt with easily, right?" Xu Jiaqi nonchalantly said.


    "..You are correct." Tang Yizhou smiled and embraced Xu Jiaqi tightly. Her words meant that he had all the decision making rights, allowing him to be as cruel as he wanted to if needed.


    In his eyes, from the moment Song Ziyi insulted and bothered Xu Jiaqi the first day he met her in reality, that had already sealed off his fate for good. He wanted him to never again be able to achieve high success for the rest of his life.


    "Then, please do me a favor and settle my matters with him appropriately." Xu Jiaqi giggled, pulling his face down for a kiss after the man began to tickle her by nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck.


    "As you wish, milady."


    The two seemed so sweet while discussing the destruction of another human being''s life, borderline showing psychopathic tendencies without hiding a shred of doubt within their eyes.


    What mattered to them were only the feelings between them, nothing else could get in the way of their affection no matter how much they tried.


    With a bright smile plastered in each other''s faces, they continued to cuddle and enjoyed their day.

 Chapter 231 - 4.57

    Needless to say, the rest of Xu Jiaqi''s adventures was practically set in stone. She did prepare for a musical themed comeback in the background, wanting to use her tragic past as a stepping stone to further propel herself out there without much hardships at all.


    Thus, the only thing that continued to bug her even after all that she had done was undoubtedly nothing else than the side quest. The irregular side quest that was filled with nonsensical marks and cryptic codes that not even the System was able to crack.


    Xu Jiaqi''s annoyed expression that transcended from the space into reality was naturally picked by her man, Tang Yizhou. Nothing could escape his radars if it was something concerning the woman''s wellbeing. Seeing her distraught like this made his heart itch, a voice inside him calling out and telling him to tend to her.


    "Why do you have that kind of look? Is there something bothering you still? If it''s about the Song monkey, don''t worry. I have everything set in stone, he will never make it out to the world as a successful man. I also made sure to hunt his family crimes down and gave the confidential information to their rivals. Sooner or later, the Song family business will probably begin to deteriorate and perish, seeing as to how many enemies they have lurking about."


    Xu Jiaqi shook her head, indicating Tang Yizhou''s misunderstanding on her worries.


    "...The Zhao family.. All three of them are in the jail, right? Is it possible if I pay a special visit to them?"


    This was the most sensible conclusion that the System and her could come up with. Perhaps, the side quest is something that involved taking down the Zhao family in a separate form or way, not just placing them in the jail cell.


    "By special visit, you mean?" Tang Yizhou''s brows knitted. Xu Jiaqi was suggesting something completely out of his guesses. Who would''ve thought that she would become this eager to meet them again after what had happened?


    "Like, getting in touch with them. I just want to test something out." Xu Jiaqi sighed, knowing that it would probably be quite hard to convince Tang Yizhou.


    It was hard for Tang Yizhou to agree because there was always the slightest chance that the encounter could go wrong, especially after how he had seen the vicious family act around their schemes. If Xu Jiaqi entered their sights in the state that she was in right now, how would they react?


    Perhaps, their maniacal attitude would turn into drastic actions.. That could steal Xu Jiaqi away from him once again.


    He went silent for a few seconds, before coming back to his senses after Xu Jiaqi called out to him multiple times.


    "Is it a no, after all?" Xu Jiaqi pouted, ruffling his hair, pretending to be annoyed that the man did not respond to her right away and zoned out when she was right here.


    "...Well, it could be arranged." Tang Yizhou sighed.


    Tang Yizhou himself thought that he might be worrying too much. Even if all the danger signs were blaring, he could always use his personal means to make sure that the trio wouldn''t dare to do anything silly to his woman.


    Even if that meant using brute force. After all, his source of happiness came from seeing Xu Jiaqi enjoy being herself. If he took away her joy, it would be the same as taking away his own.


    "Yay! Yizhou, you''re the best," Xu Jiaqi left a subtle kiss on his lips in a playful manner.


    Tang Yizhou smiled helplessly.


    "Come to think of it, Yixiu requested to meet you after all the heat died down. If you''re free, we should arrange a proper meeting with him."


    Tang Yixiu was still studying abroad, and there was still about two years until his education was formally completed. Although he still held frequent video calls with his brother, it was undeniable that meeting each other in person would be much more memorable and special.


    Tang Yixiu was also one of the few who routinely checked up on Xu Jiaqi''s condition, worrying about her all the time. He recognized how big of a presence the woman had on his brother, almost like a tight leash placed on his neck. It was both a good and bad thing.


    He chose to support his brother''s decision since he believed that the other would know what suited himself the best, so he didn''t interfere in the matter.


    Now that Xu Jiaqi was all recovered, he sent messages conveying his wish to meet up once his holiday hits.


    "..Are you not looking at me right now? Obviously, I''m free. The free-est I''ve ever been. And whose fault is that, if you ask? Ladies and gentlemen, it is none other than the man in front of me right now.. The cheeky man who doesn''t even allow me to do anything on my own." Xu Jiaqi voiced out her disapproval.


    "I get that you''re.. you know, you''re just worried about me, worried that something might happen to me, but I promise you that I can take care of myself." She added.


    "Really? Qiqi, do you really think that.. that''s the case with you?" Tang Yizhou''s voice trembled by the slightest bit as he spoke.


    Without much thinking, Xu Jiaqi, who had a strong mind reading prowess, immediately identified the reason for his troubled look.


    She opened and closed her mouth multiple times, not knowing where to start and where to end.


    "That day.. I did deliberately put myself in danger, but there was a perfectly fine reason for it, en? Now, the three of them are successfully placed in a tight jail cell. If I hadn''t gotten into the grave accident, she wouldn''t have been charged as severe as the other two. I trusted that everything would go well, and you would save me, so I didn''t.. protect myself to the best." Xu Jiaqi stated.


    Xu Jiaqi knew. She knew that the man realized what she was planning. The moment he started investigating, clear signs pointing out to the fact that she went out of her way to expose herself to possible danger would be revealed. It was as clear as day, there was no way Tang Yizhou would miss the clues.


    She threw herself in danger, and she knew that there was someone aiming for her life from the very beginning. She made herself act as a bait without a second thought of how things could turn out. Since the building was old and dilapidated, there were no surveillance cameras placed that could let them have a look at the incident that happened, but Tang Yizhou could tell.


    He could tell that the one who inflicted the injury was nobody else but Xu Jiaqi, even though the gun was supplied by Zhao Xinran with the help of Yu Xuan.


    The fact that he hadn''t mentioned it even once to her after she woke up meant that he was still in denial, or at least trying to turn a blind eye on the matter.


    It had to be noted that Tang Yizhou had became dependent on the woman named Xu Jiaqi. His world revolved around hers ever since he fell deep into the hole called love. Obsession. The desire to protect Xu Jiaqi, and at the same time tie her down to his side so she could never leave his sight.


    It made him feel an endless amount of happiness, and at the same time brought him so much despair.


    The love he held was just as toxic to him as it was a form of medicine. One that soothed his soul, dragged him out of the cursed condition, and restored his sanity. Every day, as his sanity improved, it also spiralled downwards.


    A double edged sword.


    The fact that he didn''t know what she was plotting. The fact that she put herself in harm''s way. The fact that he.. was just unwilling to accept everything the way it is. He shut his mind off and tended to Xu Jiaqi, caring for her, but the unforgettable fact still laid within his mind no matter what.


    "..I''m sorry. I''m truly sorry for what happened that day, I know that you are the one who cares about me the most. Even more than how much I care about myself." Xu Jiaqi hugged him tightly.


    This was a problem that she sought to solve from the beginning after she sensed that something was wrong with Tang Yizhou and his overly paranoid mindset that escalated even more than what it had been before she entered a near death experience.


    Xu Jiaqi admitted that she was selfish in her actions, especially after she had accepted the man''s offer to tie their vows together once and for all. She had disappeared from his life just like that. Left him behind.


    Tang Yizhou was quiet. He didn''t speak, until much later.


    A sad smile was present on his face, one that caused a sharp pang inside Xu Jiaqi''s heart. Bits of pain.


    "En.. You must promise me, alright? No more of those foolish acts. Just stay with me, that''s all I need. Nothing else."


    Tang Yizhou''s tone, gesture, look, everything.


    He was begging her.


    Begging her to stay by his side.

 Chapter 232 - 4.58

    "You''re too anxious. Calm your nerves down a little bit, it will do you a lot better than how you''re currently acting."


    "I can''t do that, baby. You know it better than I do. There is no way I can stop." Tang Yizhou cheekily responded before hugging Xu Jiaqi tightly, sighing.


    "Let''s discuss a happier matter, then. How about we plan Yixiu''s return right now? Let''s have a video call with him. The jail visit.. We will talk about that later. I don''t think your current mood is suitable for that sort of discussion right now." Xu Jiaqi spoke.


    Tang Yizhou did not stop Xu Jiaqi as she grabbed the device randomly lying about on their bed, scrolling to the messenger app''s contacts to locate Tang Yixiu and begin a call.


    The call was quickly picked up. They talked, and continued to talk until hours had passed without realizing it because of how much they mixed well.


    The set mood was uplifted, and turned into a lighter scene. Towards the end of the call, the matter about Tang Yixiu''s visit to his hometown was settled. It would be the second day after Tang Yixiu''s holiday begun.


    _______


    Time passed fast, and without knowing it, Tang Yixiu''s holiday arrived without warning. This particular day was the day of Tang Yixiu''s return to his home country. He


    Both Tang Yizhou and Xu Jiaqi sped up to the airport to fetch Tang Yixiu home. Upon his figure entering the pair''s eyes, they were quick to spot someone beside Tang Yixiu. The man was scolding Tang Yixiu, albeit in a rather joking manner.


    It was a familiar face for Xu Jiaqi, not so much for Tang Yizhou.


    It was Yu Xuan, the one who supplied the resources for Zhao Xinran''s crime.


    "..Hmm." Xu Jiaqi approached the man who was with Tang Yixiu.


    Without much thinking, she let her body act as it should. Her hand was lifted to the air. As Tang Yixiu''s eyes gleamed at Xu Jiaqi''s appearance greeting him firsthand, a slap sound was created out of nowhere.


    Pa!


    With all her might, Xu Jiaqi landed a blow on him.


    Yu Xuan didn''t know who Xu Jiaqi was right at the very beginning, so he turned around and got mad at Xu Jiaqi.


    "Ouch! Why the hell did you slap me? I- I will definitely report you to the-" Yu Xuan was outraged, as he swung his hand towards Xu Jiaqi to land one of his own blows for revenge.


    However, the casually thrown hand was quickly caught by Xu Jiaqi''s fast reflexes, to which she tilted her head condescendingly and grinned widely.


    "I wonder why. Slapping someone is free, and it makes me happy when I slap bastards like you. Is that a good enough reason?" Xu Jiaqi chuckled.


    "You.. who told you that you can act so willfully?! Was there nobody to teach you how to act?! You are turning a blind eye to law! This is considered assault, I will definitely place charges against you!" Yu Xuan was still under the impression that he was untouchable as long as he utilized his family''s powers well.


    Little did he know, the woman before her wasn''t just strong on her own, but also had a demon lord backing her up under the name of Tang Yizhou.


    "Law? Now, you know how to uphold law? Assault? You tried to kidnap me, and endanger my life. Acting willfully? Ha! If anything, you are the shittiest person in this whole scheme. You are the cause of someone falling into a coma for years. You, Yu Xuan. Do you know whose fault it is that Zhao Xinran plunged into that rotting jail? It was also you."


    Cold sweat formed on Yu Xuan''s skin, shivers running down his spine as he shook his head, still refusing to believe what Xu Jiaqi was whispering against his ears.


    "If it wasn''t for you helping her without considering the consequences.. Would she be there right now? You are simply too blind for your own good. Luckily, you are a bit more clever, and your family still cherishes their reputation a lot. If you didn''t have the Yu family backing you, do you think that this news wouldn''t have gotten out?"


    "I seem to have forgotten my manners, young one from the Yu family. My name is Xu Jiaqi.. the person that your ''beloved'' wanted to harm."


    At that time, there were several mistakes that occurred.


    First, Tang Yizhou''s mental state was nowhere near pristine, and this made his judgement a little bit clouded. After the investigations ran through, and the culprits were identified as Zhao Xinran and a group of goons, he didn''t immediately link the case up to Yu Xuan since the boy had never been mentioned before.


    Indeed, if it wasn''t for her making those calls to Yu Xuan and the System snooping around, perhaps Yu Xuan''s existence wouldn''t have been discovered by them as well, let alone the police and investigators.


    Secondly, the Yu family, although they didn''t regard Yu Xuan as anything good, they still wanted to preserve their dignity and of course did not want such a case to be linked up to their name. They were aware of all the mischief that Yu Xuan had caused, and typically everything would be easily solved with the help of money.


    However, for this one, the business giant named Tang Yizhou was actively involved, and it made it especially complicated when Xu Jiaqi fell unconscious and didn''t seem to show signs of waking up no matter how much the doctors tended to her.


    This made the situation tricky to them. On one side, they couldn''t care less about Yu Xuan and would just throw them under the bus if that was a good method of solving the problem. However, they had seen what the man continued to do to the Song family.


    Song Ziyi, who was the perpetrator''s boyfriend, wasn''t charged, but his family was under a lot of pressure from Tang Yizhou himself right after the huge incident occurred. The entire Zhao family was thrown into jail, and the only one left was, so to say, Yu Xuan.


    Yu Xuan didn''t know the details about the event since he blindly helped Zhao Xinran, but he didn''t believe that his Goddess would even be capable of committing the crimes that Tang Yizhou''s case brought up. He was still blind, thinking of the woman as a virtuous and kind woman with no faults at all.


    Of course, the reality was the complete opposite of that. It could be said that most of Xu Jiaqi''s hardships resulted from the various schemes Zhao Xinran would use to deliberately demean the other party for no reason at all except for casual spite.


    Zhao Xinran was a person with a lot of hatred. She had always gotten away with her moves in the past, using skillful acting to get by and escape unscathed. However, this time, the party she enraged was Tang Yizhou.


    As a result, everyone who had the slightest bit of ties to the events leading up to Xu Jiaqi''s tragic state was cleaned up by Tang Yizhou.


    The Yu family knew this, and recognized how frightening Tang Yizhou''s anger was. If that sort of anger was directed to them, when they were a family of a smaller scale than the Song family, they would not be able to survive by any means.


    Thus, before the investigations could run even further, they made sure that their connection to the woman was completely severed. They sent Yu Xuan abroad under the premise of studying in an overseas university.


    And there, he met Tang Yixiu. Tang Yixiu was a boy with many talents. He was younger than him by a year, but his mindset was completely mature, unlike him.


    At first, he didn''t like Tang Yixiu very much. Due to the complications he had with his education, and the fact that he barged in to the prestigious institution that Tang Yixiu studied in, Yu Xuan was placed in a grade one stage lower than his peers, leading to him sharing the same class with Tang Yixiu.


    Seeing the boy''s bright eyes and seemingly perfect life, he felt envious. After a casual information spread around that Tang Yixiu and him were from the same city, Yu Xuan would be frequently compared to the other, which made him even more embarrassed because he was inferior in every single way than Tang Yixiu.


    And thus, enmity was formed. Yu Xuan didn''t hold Tang Yixiu in a favorable light, but the other party was completely nonchalant about everything.


    He didn''t know that this man could be considered one of the main culprits of his soon to be sister in law''s near death experience. If he knew so from the beginning, he would definitely act in a different way. But since he didn''t, he acted normally and didn''t think anything was weird.


    The worst thing was, he actually approached the other. Upon getting to know each other better, Yu Xuan, who was an overly simple person, started to open up to Tang Yixiu.


    This was the beginning of everything, leading up to the moment where Tang Yixiu arrived back to their city bringing Yu Xuan in tow, and the crisp slap that Xu Jiaqi delivered onto Yu Xuan''s face.

 Chapter 233 - 4.59

    Tang Yixiu, who didn''t know the ordeal that implicated his sister in law that well, was extremely shocked when Xu Jiaqi slapped Yu Xuan with no restraint at all, a poisonous, degrading look present on her face.


    He approached Xu Jiaqi to ask more about the matter, but was stopped by his older brother who was also present on the site.


    "B-brother.. Why is sister doing that?" Tang Yixiu questioned.


    Tang Yizhou merely shook his head. There was clearly something more to this young man than what he knew. He trusted Xu Jiaqi''s judgement and knew that she wouldn''t be the type of person to willfully oppose someone like this without proper reasoning and well built train of thoughts behind it.


    Hearing her words, his expression turned ugly. Even though Xu Jiaqi purposely made her volume small, he was still able to hear it and couldn''t help but feel angered. Xu Jiaqi wouldn''t tell a lie about this big of thing. He didn''t doubt her, and above all, he was ashamed of himself of not even realizing that there was another party involved in the crime.


    What did he do during the time Xu Jiaqi was not present by his side? Did he just laze around and wait for her return? No! He thought that he did everything he could, going as far as to fight for the worst possible punishments to be bestowed upon the Zhao family because he simply couldn''t handle his bubbling anger that accumulated like an erupting volcano.


    And yet, this young man..


    He narrowed his eyes. Although he didn''t mingle much with the high society, he at least knew the people who were included in it. The man who arrived here with Tang Yixiu was called Yu Xuan, the youngest master of the Yu family who was infamous for having bad conduct.


    How he got to know Tang Yixiu was a completely separate matter, but the important thing was how the Yu family managed to hide this matter away from him. It must be a mishap on his side. He wasn''t too focused since he was preoccupied with Xu Jiaqi''s matters. As he was dealing with the Zhaos, the Yus must''ve taken advantage of this and sent Yu Xuan abroad, taking care of the investigators.


    It was his fault. He clicked his tongue, and his grip on Tang Yixiu''s shoulder used to hold the young man back from coming to aid his friend tightened, making the man grimace slightly at the pain.


    "Older.. brother?" Tang Yixiu looked up to the taller man and saw how bad his expression was and immediately gulped a mouthful of saliva. His hearing was not as pronounced as Tang Yizhou''s was, but he was able to capture some details out of the conversation Xu Jiaqi and his friend had.


    Whatever it was, Yu Xuan did something terribly wrong to Xu Jiaqi. Licking his lips, worried at how this will turn out, he decided to use all his strength to break away from his brother''s grip and rush towards the middle of the confrontation.


    He was met with two contrasting gazes, one filled to the brim with anger and the other with a flurry of emotions, uncertain as to what he was feeling right now.


    "Sister, Yu Xuan, let''s not continue this matter here. There are far better places to discuss our histories together in. Surely, you two don''t want this news to be going around like wildfire?" He tried to console both parties and take them to a secluded space where they could hide in.


    Since the pair took a first class flight and was given priority services in everything, they were currently in a lane where not many people were lurking about, but there were still bound to be people who would come to see their fight and spread it all across the news. If that happened, then the situation would be hard to control.


    Yu Xuan recognized Tang Yixiu''s concern and backed away. He was in a stupor after hearing what came out of Xu Jiaqi''s mouth. Lately, he hadn''t been thinking about what happened back in the city. He himself didn''t know why he suddenly refreshed the existence called Zhao Xinran away from his memory, and didn''t know when it started.


    He just knew that he wasn''t as obsessed with the woman anymore, and was able to let go of her as he recuperated overseas. His trip abroad was considered a turning point in his life to him, as his everything gradually got better, and he started to show talents. He was naturally gifted in the field of music, and casually playing some instruments had been a long standing hobby for him even as he was deeply rooted in his delinquent period.


    This made him very happy, seeing the change that happened to him, and also the fresh breath of air he was able to get by simply going away and not being in contact with his toxic family. He realized the worth of himself that he wasn''t able to explore previously, the fact that he was too deeply in tune with the idea of comparing himself with the other figures in his life, competing in their fields even though his worth didn''t lie in them.


    He moved forward, carving his path in life that inched towards positivity.


    He even started to build his own fame out there, performing in many stages after he had gotten accustomed to the life there and enjoyed it bit by bit. He became a full member of the community over there and..


    He forgot. It was so easy for him to forget because, generally, Yu Xuan wasn''t a very good human being.


    Yes, he had a bad past. Yes, he was not blessed with a loving family that was able to guide him through his childhood and watch as he grew into a better person. Yes, he was faced with the conniving, manipulative Zhao Xinran.


    But that did not excuse him for all the actions that he committed. All the people that suffered due to him and his unruly actions. Just because of his past, were they supposed to just let it go and not talk about it ever again?


    It was easy to forget, but it will never be erased from the face of Earth once a misdeed has been committed.


    "I.. I-" Yu Xuan was still in shock, the stinging pain from the slap he received prominently there.


    "I didn''t scold you because I wanted to hear you stutter like that. For our reputations'' sake, let''s go to another place as Yixiu suggested. But that doesn''t mean that I have forgiven you for what you have done." Xu Jiaqi turned around and walked towards Tang Yizhou, her elegant gait returning to her and her expression calming down as always as if nothing had happened.


    Tang Yixiu and Yu Xuan quickly followed behind the other two''s path. All the while, Yu Xuan hung his head low and didn''t dare to look up.


    He thought about his actions, and knew that he was in the wrong, just as Xu Jiaqi said, but it was a pill that was hard to swallow.


    "Let''s talk about this, hm? You, and Zhao Xinran. Don''t think I don''t already know everything. I already do, I just want to know what it was like from your side so I can take a better judgement on this matter. If not, then.. I will make sure to take special measures since you haven''t received your punishment even after all this time has passed." Xu Jiaqi glared at the man sitting meekly on the opposite side of the table.


    Tang Yizhou was by her side, whereas Tang Yixiu was awkwardly comforting his friend. He didn''t know who was right or wrong, but looking at his friend''s guilty expression, it was not hard to take a side that he thought was credible.


    "Perhaps there had been a misunderstanding? I believe that we all deserve to know the clear stories of both of you guys. If there was a misconception, then we can solve the problem right here and now. From what I know, Yu Xuan isn''t a bad person even though he might be hard to handle at times."


    Tang Yixiu had developed a bond with Yu Xuan after being friends for quite some time, and a thing like this was the farthest idea he could think of.


    "Yeah, sure. I want to hear him out.. Hear how much he thinks he is wrong. Are you even willing to admit it, hm?" Xu Jiaqi tapped her finger lightly on the table, on a constant rhythm that made the atmosphere even more tense for Yu Xuan.


    "I''ll.. talk. I''ll tell you what my side of the story was.. And how I- I did run away from everything, but it wasn''t completely my fault too." Yu Xuan took in a deep breath before he began to spill his memories'' contents.


    From the beginning, his twisted childhood, to when he met Zhao Xinran, and how he came to help her kidnap Xu Jiaqi.


    Tang Yizhou, who listened from the side, got his level of anger rising by each passing second Yu Xuan talked.

 Chapter 234 - 4.60

    "You made a wise choice. Unfortunately, you weren''t this wise before, and a mistake is a mistake. I can''t afford to be a saint and forgive you without bestowing you a proper punishment, or that will just be a violation of the protocol." Xu Jiaqi dictated calmly, like the story Yu Xuan told her did not make her falter in the slightest bit.


    Really, it didn''t.


    Xu Jiaqi swept her eyes through the pair in front of him. Tang Yixiu''s expression was already turning a bit disturbed, but if her calculations and intuitions were correct, then..


    ''Hm.''


    Some alterations might need to be made, but to what extent?


    As she was thinking, Yu Xuan continued to apologize. They then took a short break to dissolve the crazy atmosphere a bit.


    "Are you alright, Qiqi?" Tang Yizhou questioned. His woman''s safety and condition was a priority above anything else in this world.


    "No.. I''m completely alright. What happened.. has already happened, it cannot be reverted. Besides, I''m right here by your side without question. I think.. whatever happens to Yu Xuan from now on, there is no point in holding a deep grudge. The same goes for you, okay? This is my case after all, I want to be the one who decides."


    "..You''re being too forgiving to that guy. If it was me, I would''ve completely removed him out of this world by now." Tang Yizhou was struggling to hold back his pulsing emotions.


    "I''m not being lenient. I''m just tired of everything, and I think there are better things for me to spend my time on rather than this. Don''t you think so too? I''ve come back, don''t you want us to continue proceeding with our.. marriage plans?" Xu Jiaqi smirked.


    Tang Yizhou instantly moved backwards a little bit, thinking deeply about her words. It was.. indeed a bit reasonable. Right, right. He shouldn''t think too much about this.. Since she didn''t want anything to be done, then he should follow her. Definitely not because he wanted the marriage to happen as soon as possible and for Xu Jiaqi to focus on the preparations.


    "See? You''re agreeing with me now. You''re so easy to convince, I''m worried that someone might come in and trick you out of a deal or something." Xu Jiaqi chuckled.


    Beside the pair, Tang Yixiu was looking at his older brother like he was some type of garbage who deserved to be thrown into the bin right away in disappointment. Tang Yizhou, although having sensed his brother''s impudent gazes, continued smiling happily like a puppy and ignored the other.


    What easy to trick? This was the same person that they were talking about, right? Who on Earth would say that Tang Yizhou, the ice demon, was easy to trick??


    Even though he wanted to voice out his complaints loudly, he decided not to. Anyway, it was a blessing that his brother came to meet Xu Jiaqi, who he willingly submitted to. Tang Yizhou was like an unstoppable force, no one could match up with him.


    At the same time, this also created many grievances for him. For example, he hadn''t participated in matters he categorized as ''mundane'' like love, practicing abstinence for so long even after achieving high success, only to fall for the woman called Xu Jiaqi this hard.


    When Xu Jiaqi was by his side, he could see how much his brother''s happiness radiated. In truth, as long as his brother was happy, he couldn''t care less. He believed that Tang Yizhou would be able to make choices that matter for him and benefitted him the most.


    However, this time, it involved one of the close friends he had made overseas, Yu Xuan. Who would''ve thought that such a coincidence could occur? Although he was a rather impartial person, the type to only believe his own experiences, knowing that Yu Xuan had plotted against Xu Jiaqi in the past certainly made him reconsider his judgement.


    As far as he knew, from what Yu Xuan told them, he had changed severely from the beginning and didn''t share the same traits he used to in the past. Punishments were punishments, they had to be dished out appropriately. As much as he wanted to protect this friend he had learned to be fond of, he couldn''t.


    Luckily, Xu Jiaqi herself did not seem to show intentions of punishing the guy to the max. Tang Yizhou, on the other hand, would certainly not let this guy live smoothly unless Xu Jiaqi held him back.


    Yu Xuan was still hanging his head low, the trace of his former bubbly and confident self no longer present anywhere. It was an unsettling thing, seeing how the young man was so out of the norm.


    Tang Yixiu pursed his lips, thinking of ways to lighten his brother''s acts. Sighing, he tapped Xu Jiaqi''s shoulder after realizing that there was no other way than to rely on this omnipotent woman.


    "Sister, could you do something about my older brother? I''m worried that Yu Xuan wouldn''t survive if his anger isn''t quelled. Please say something concrete to him. But.. If you truly want Yu Xuan to fall, then that''s your choice as well." Tang Yixiu spoke. Halfway, he felt like he was being a bit unreasonable because Xu Jiaqi was a victim, so he quickly corrected himself and added words of consolation.


    "Don''t worry. I don''t plan to let him be destroyed completely. Besides.. I''m very good at reading people''s emotions. Yu Xuan, didn''t he help you by a ton overseas? I can kind of see why you''re protecting him just from the look in your eyes. Your sentiment towards him, is it more than just a friend?" Xu Jiaqi gave a sneaky look, teasing the other.


    A light flush appeared on Tang Yixiu''s face, as he shook his head and rebutted Xu Jiaqi''s words. "What are you talking about? I only regard him as a friend, nothing more. He did help me a lot, but that''s about it. I just want to repay the many favors he gave me."


    "If you say so, I won''t complain. But in the future.. Let''s just say that if the Yu family gives you two problems, come to this big sister. I will give them a nice slap on their faces and tell them to shut up when time comes to play."


    "Uh.. If you don''t mind me asking, then.." Tang Yixiu fiddled with his fingers for a couple seconds, nervous. "What punishment are you going to give to Yu Xuan? Just a bit curious."


    "Ao, Yixiu, you keep asking about him, who is it that you came to see? How come you''re asking about the little guy much more than me? Does our Yixiu not like me anymore?" Xu Jiaqi faked wiping tears off of her face.


    Tang Yixiu became flustered and waved his hands to deny the accusation. "It''s just curiosity, nothing more!"


    "Sure, sure." Xu Jiaqi laughed. "Punishments.. hm? Well, I''ll talk about it with him later, personally. The secret punishment is something I won''t allow you to hear. However, I think the slap I delivered to him is already more than enough for my anger to be quelled."


    "Is.. that so??" Tang Yixiu unconsciously smiled, happy for his ''friend'' that everything was going to be alright in one way or another.


    "Yep! Now, go back and tend to your friend. I might''ve fallen into a coma for a year or two, but my strength is not something to joke around with. The slap I gave to him, who knows if it might''ve blossomed into a swollen wound?"


    Tang Yixiu nodded, and paid his respects to Xu Jiaqi one more time before saying goodbye and departing.


    [Host, are you really letting Yu Xuan go just like that? It''s not like you to be so forgiving.. Are you scheming something?] The System was awfully skeptical. He had been with the Host for so many years. The Host he knew was a devil who wouldn''t bat an eyelash to the coldest, bloodiest scenes. She would overwork the innocent baby System without restraint. She would do anything to get to her goal.


    So, why was she like this now?


    ''I''m just playing everything safe. I don''t want to risk anything again for now, I want to accomplish the goals and trigger the side mission if I have the chance to. If I make an enemy of Yu Xuan, I will just be exposing myself to pointless death flags. Lesson learned from the last suicide mission.''


    [..That''s good..?! Character development! Host, you''re evolving!]


    Before, his reckless, unbridled Host couldn''t be held back by any means. This sort of change, did it mean that his Host was finally starting to regain some common sense?


    ''Don''t talk about me like I''m some type of creature! What do you mean, evolving? Besides, if I stole away Yu Xuan, wouldn''t Yixiu be terribly sad?''


    [??]


    As always, the System was a bit dumb, he couldn''t process what his Host meant thoroughly and why he was giving so much pardon to Yu Xuan when he was just a ''friend'' of Tang Yixiu.


    The curtains were drawn for today, and the group separated into two, going back to their separate homes.

 Chapter 235 - 3.61

    "Qiqi, do you really have to go in alone?" Tang Yizhou pouted as he complained and latched himself onto Xu Jiaqi, encircling her body with his arms.


    "Yes, I want to be alone. Why, are you not happy with that?"


    "Of course I''m not.. Haa, you even refused any sort of supervision for those rotten prisoners. What if they go rabid like mad dogs and leave a wound on you? I would.." Tang Yizhou wanted to continue with his sentence, but stopped since it would be too grim for Xu Jiaqi to take in.


    "Shush. I will just be paying them a little visit. I''ll be back soon, so stay here and wait for me. Capische?" Xu Jiaqi nudged on Tang Yizhou''s abdomen with her elbow, telling him to back off.


    Tang Yizhou reluctantly released his grip and sighed. He walked by her side and soon arrived before the isolated cell that was the Zhao family''s current residence. A strange stench emanated from inside the cell, but Xu Jiaqi wasn''t bothered by it at all. Instead she smiled as if she was a little child about to go on a thrilling ride in an amusement park.


    Compared to her, Tang Yizhou''s face was much more grim looking.


    "Take care. If anything happens, do note that they won''t ever get another chance to see the light of day. I will place them in eternal damnation." Tang Yizhou narrowed his eyes. This was his way of telling both the Zhao family to stay put and know their position and also for Xu Jiaqi to not get in harm''s way.


    "Yes, yes. Now let me go in. You''re still holding onto my hand. Don''t tell me, you want to cut your hand off and let it accompany me inside?"


    "Can I do that?" Tang Yizhou asked innocently, as if the thing he was proposing wasn''t strange at all.


    "..No, silly." Xu Jiaqi peeled his grip away from her limb and rolled her eyes. "Bye bye, Yizhou."


    "..En." Tang Yizhou nodded, and the prison guard who had to watch the couple''s overbearing way of displaying affection awkwardly opened the door to let Xu Jiaqi in the cell.


    To tell the truth, Tang Yizhou''s worries were came out of nowhere. From where Xu Jiaqi stood, she could see the Zhao family being restrained heavily. Their hands were cuffed behind their back, and their legs had a chain locking the pair together, along with a rather heavy weight that made sure they wouldn''t be able to do anything silly.


    Tang Yizhou should be the one to know this arrangement the best, since he was the very man who ordered this treatment. It was going a bit overboard, considering the fact that there was already a clear barrier separating the two parties. Allowing Xu Jiaqi to see the Zhao family with clarity, and them not being able to escape their positions.


    The Zhao family''s expressions were not anything great. They had a permanent scowl on their faces, and it was evident that they all loathed Xu Jiaqi.


    However, exactly what did the original Xu Jiaqi do to them? They were the ones who started it. The ones who got consumed by human emotions and decided to try and ruin a happy family''s life.


    If you are unhappy, does that mean another happy individual was at fault for that? So much so that they had to pay a grim price just so you could attain your own happiness? The original Xu family was amiable to this rotten family. They never acted arrogantly even after they reached the peak of stardom, with so many people acknowledging their talents and respecting them. They never let fame and wealth get to their heads. They helped many people, donated to good causes, and never committed any crimes.


    The Xu family was completely innocent.


    And yet, the Zhao couple decided to plot against them. Their daughter, Zhao Xinran had a God complex and thought that everything good in the world must belong to her. A vixen that had too many rotten schemes going inside her head. There was no salvation for her.


    "How are you guys? Did you adjust to the prison life yet?" Xu Jiaqi put on a pair of white gloves, dragging a chair over to the cell''s front. In her hands was a remote control for the cell''s mechanism. It had a red button on it. Upon being pressed, an array of steel bars would fall from the top, and the transparent screen that kept them locked in would be replaced.


    This way. Xu Jiaqi would have the means to interact with them physically. With a devious smile, she pressed the button and watched as the screens were retracted back into the walls, and the bars falling down, effectively sealing them.


    Xu Jiaqi knew that they weren''t able to move a lot,  so she didn''t hold back and directly yanked the Zhao father''s head through the spaces between the bars.


    Her eyes were as cold as ice as she stared down the man like he was pure garbage that needed to be thrown out right away.


    "This slap is for my father, who treated you like a good friend. You betrayed him, broke his trust, and couldn''t stop your filthy heart from controlling your mind. You''re the one who deserved to die in that accident you orchestrated, not my parents."


    Pa!


    The slapping sound was so loud that Xu Jiaqi was sure the men standing behind the cell door would hear everything she was doing. However, she didn''t pay any heed to do that since she knew that Tang Yizhou would help her settle everything if she did get questioned.


    "This one is for my mother, who ended up in a tragic death just because you couldn''t bear to hide your hatred and had to take innocent lives. She never did anything to you, she treated you well every time you came to mingle with us, and yet you still killed her."


    Pa!


    Another slap landed on his exhausted face.


    "P-please.." Zhao Dinghao cried out for help.


    "This one is from me, who you managed to instill a trauma into. Who you wronged for so many years. Deceived the masses for benefits." Without sparing him, she continued to land another crisp slap.


    And another one.


    "This one is for..."


    Pa!


    "This one..."


    One by one, Xu Jiaqi made sure to deliver an equal amount of slaps to each Zhao family member, making sure that they understood what they had done in order to suffer such humiliation and degradation.


    "Isn''t it great? Your current situation suits you much better." Xu Jiaqi shook her hands as they were getting tired as well after delivering so many hard slaps.


    "Do you guys have any ideas on what else I could slap you guys for? My hands are starting to get tired, but I don''t mind doing this. Your face is a little bit too dirty and hard though. Not at all comfortable to hit." Xu Jiaqi sighed.


    "You- you whore! Slut! You were only able to do this because you seduced that Tang Yizhou! If I got the chance to meet him just like you did, I''m sure that th-"


    Pa!


    Zhao Xinran''s words were cut off by another slap from Xu Jiaqi.


    "Oh, please. Attention on the word ''if''. In the end, the one Tang Yizhou needs is me. Even if you met him, I doubt that you would''ve made it with him. The reason he''s with me.. Even I can''t explain it. It''s not something superficial like you and Song Ziyi." Xu Jiaqi clicked her tongue.


    "That slap is for being annoying. You are at my mercy, so you should''ve known better, don''t you think? Instead of openly trying to insult and degrade me, keep it in your heart and shut up." Xu Jiaqi said. "You''ve lost. There''s no point in struggling anymore. It''s checkmate, you can''t make any moves from where you are. This place is where you will be staying in for the rest of you life."


    Xu Jiaqi toyed with the three some more before finally deciding that enough was enough. She was getting tired as well, and her hands were starting to ache. It was time to retire, at least for today''s portion.


    "..And that concludes my visit. Adios, everyone!" Xu Jiaqi''s smile was as bright as a ray of sunlight during summer. She waved goodbye to the exasperated, scared shitless Zhao family before exiting the room with jumpy steps, taking off her gloves and throwing it into the trash can.


    "Truly disgusting." She poured some sanitizer onto her palm, cleaning herself as she felt like a huge ton of filth just attached themselves onto her during that visit.


    She headed back towards Tang Yizhou''s side, humming a happy and satisfied tune over what she had done.


    Come to think of it, her original intention was to try and trigger a side quest, but nothing appeared.


    Oh well.. She got her dose of revenge anyway.

 Chapter 236 - 3.62

    "Haaii~! I''m back.. What''s with that expression on your face? You''re so tense!" Xu Jiaqi laughed, pinching the tip of Tang Yizhou''s nose and bringing his head down to face hers. "Did I make you worry a lot? I just wanted to have a little fun with them. Turns out, there wasn''t anything special that I could get.. So I played around. That''s fine, right? Will I get into trouble?"


    "..Who dares to get you in trouble? I will make sure that they suffer in your place if they do want to try something funny."


    Xu Jiaqi smiled like an angel, but deep down, she recognized the hypocrisy she enjoyed. She was perfectly content with others suffering in her stead, potentially getting their lives ruined just because of her whims, but she was someone who would go the extra mile to take sweet revenge for herself. It was a complete change in mindset, but what could she do? She was born to be this sort of person.


    No matter how willful she was. It was her fate to prevail over others, and she wouldn''t accept any other outcome except for that.


    Xu Jiaqi linked her arms with Tang Yizhou''s, dragging him out of the prison and getting into their car.


    "Where do you want to go now?"


    "Hmm.. Drive me to the dress shop I intended to go before. I need to get back on track with the wedding preparations. Can''t have our little prince waiting for too long, can we?" Xu Jiaqi teased the man, who let out a small grunt.


    Inside, he was thoroughly happy and set off for the location Xu Jiaqi desired for immediately. Upon reaching the store, he was once again rejected from ever going in and peeking. He was forced to wait outside of the building, where beautiful dresses were being showcased in the display windows.


    Xu Jiaqi had her fun picking out the designs she likes, got her measurements taken, and finally exited the store contently. She saw Tang Yizhou''s car still parked outside the store and pursed her lips.


    ''Did this man really wait for me the whole time?'' Xu Jiaqi wondered. She had spent at least two hours inside the store since she picked out various dresses and accessories, not just one piece. She had the wealth to do that, and the designs attracted her, so why not?


    She had to say, he was really dedicated. She was sent off by the store''s attendant, which gained the attention of Tang Yizhou who immediately rolled down his windows upon seeing Xu Jiaqi''s figure exit the store.


    "Qiqi, are you done?"


    "I am. Did you wait for me? You should''ve just gone back, I can call a ride. What did you do inside the car, alone?"


    "Fantasizing about your beautiful appearance in the wedding dresses." Tang Yizhou shamelessly said, which made Xu Jiaqi snort. She was used to this mannerism of his after some time of interaction, so she was no longer shocked.


    "Yes, yes. Unfortunately, you will not be able to peek at the delicious sight. Instead, do you want to go on a dinner date with me, Mister President? Perhaps that will quench your fantasies for the time being." Xu Jiaqi extended the great offer.


    Tang Yizhou''s lips curved up into a wide smile. "Certainly, milady." He said, driving off to a restaurant that he knew suited her tastes. He called up his secretary and made sure that there would be a reservation for them in the exclusive dinery.


    The secretary, who was suddenly called and had to prepare for his boss'' date night, was rather frustrated but still complied anyway. Thus, when the loving couple reached the restaurant, they were recognized and brought inside to a special room right away, where they were serviced to the highest level before being given privacy.


    The two enjoyed their meal, and chatted with each other on all sorts of things.


    After that, they returned back to their living compounds, where the atmosphere got weird and the tension began to rise up exponentially, effectively making them slowly get warm with teach other. Their lips, torso, hips- their bodies were locked together. Becoming one in the darkness of the night, where they enjoyed their moment of filthy love making. Their sex drive pushing them to do more and more with each passing second.


    A passionate, hot and steamy night passed for the couple, and only ended after both were too tired and sleepy.


    _____


    When she woke up, Xu Jiaqi was laying on their bed, wrapped in a thick blanket and not wearing any clothes. She was entirely clean, so Tang Yizhou must''ve cleaned everything up before resting. Even after staying up later than her, that man was currently not in the bed with her.


    Knowing Tang Yizhou, what else could he have tried to do except for go the extra mile and prepare for the two of them''s pleasant morning.


    Just as she had guessed, she was able to pick up some subtle sounds from the nearby kitchen. She tried to wake up and go over to the man, but she was unable to since her body was so sore that she felt like her muscles were being ripped apart constantly.


    She laid down on the bed fully, as she began thinking about the matters she did yesterday. Visiting the Zhao family was not only to take revenge and try to trigger the side quest, but also start up rumors regarding her about her every act. She was a well known figure now in the industry due to her tear jerking story, but that reputation surely wouldn''t clear her out of all crimes in existence.


    This visit to the prison cell, and how she treated the Zhao family, it was bound to cause a ruckus no matter how big or small it might be.


    ''In the end, the side quest didn''t trigger there. Or rather.. the cryptic text didn''t show any signs of reacting. It must be somewhere else.. but where?'' Xu Jiaqi internally discussed.


    [I''m not sure, Host. All I know is that it was triggered all of a sudden. Both you and the powerful being did not anticipate the trigger, so.. Perhaps we could give this quest up and assume it was just an apparition for the one who helped us to contact me?] The System had always theorized it as that way.


    Xu Jiaqi originally thought the same, but the more she pondered upon it, the more she began to wonder about other possible solutions. It just didn''t feel right. The cryptic side quest, was there really nothing hidden behind it? Something that would pertain to her problem?


    Was there no way to translate it after all?


    As she mused about the matter, lazing around in bed, Tang Yizhou entered the room with some refreshments.


    "Thank you, Yizhou." Xu Jiaqi quickly snatched the food away from him, since her stomach was indeed feeling a bit hungry after last night''s strenuous exercise. As expected, after a long period of rest, being exposed to this kind of long and arduous activity was way out of her league. Her frail body couldn''t take it.


    "Qiqi, are you still in pain?" He asked.


    ''What else did I miss?'' Xu Jiaqi thought hard, but she couldn''t think up of anything substantial.


    Then, Tang Yizhou suddenly spoke some words bearing a strange implication. "Qiqi, you had a nightmare earlier. I wanted to wake you up, but you were so invested in it and wouldn''t wake up at all no matter how much I called out to you. You were also mumbling some stuff. You made me a bit too worried when you weren''t responsive apart from that."


    "..What was I saying?"


    "..You were crying about.. Potentially.. your trauma incident. The things I heard.. you were pleading for help, and sounded so desperate that I thought my heart could break in a flash the longer I listen to your wails."


    Xu Jiaqi heard his words and widened her eyes. Right. There was still that one thing she hadn''t checked because of how long the case was.


    ''..That might be it. Do you think so too?'' Xu Jiaqi completely forgot about this one man because he had already received his punishment. However, she hadn''t actually came in contact with him just yet throughout this whole time, from the very beginning of her transmigration. She simply shoved the incident to the back of her head since larger enemies were standing in her path and made her take care of them first.


    And yet, the main perpetrator of that day''s incident was still somewhere in the world.


    [Hmm.. I think it''s pretty unlikely, but it''s worth a shot. Everything is worth a shot, I would say."


    ''I think so too. We should try to bet on this chance.'' Xu Jiaqi was rather satisfied.. This was quite the large plot that she didn''t cover because she thought it was entirely over. But what if there was something deeper lurking in the back as she was being gullible and continued on pouncing forward without much thoughts at all?]

 Chapter 237 - 4.63

    After some more preparations, Xu Jiaqi was finally able to get permission from Tang Yizhou to arrange a meeting with that piece of shit trauma inducing monster.


    Tang Yizhou was of course, baffled once again at the woman''s sudden requests, but understood that there must be some type of goal she wanted to achieve if she was specifically asking for things like this.


    Xu Jiaqi enjoyed having Tang Yizhou take care of the preparations for her. If she was on her own, she wouldn''t have been able to pull the necessary strings to hunt the person down. However, with Tang Yizhou''s help, the piece of shit''s location and what he was doing could be detected right away in a short span of time.


    Since Xu Jiaqi wanted to rush and flatten everything together before securing her victory with a bang, she immediately requested for a meeting and finally got in touch with the man in less than two days.


    The man who scarred her for life. Made her not able to play her most beloved musical instrument anymore. Made her plunge into the depths of darkness even though she used to be the world''s most beloved music prodigy before her fall.


    The man was right in front of her.


    "Hi?" Xu Jiaqi greeted casually.


    "....Why have you come here? To kill me? If that''s what you want, then this old man will end his life right now. I have lots of regrets, even if I don''t kill myself, I already live every single day like I''m already dead."


    "That can''t do. I''ll be troubled if you die. After all, you won''t get to suffer as much. How does it feel? The other prisoners, they must''ve done a ton of things to you. I hope you were in pain every single day?"


    The man laughed boisterously.


    "Ha! Indeed I was... the prison never looks fondly upon.. people who committed a crime in the same field as mine. I even got beaten up with another one who shared the same fate as me more than thrice before I was released from that place."


    "...Won''t you tell me what you did that day, and how you ended up living from that day onwards?"


    "What? Why do you want to hear that? There''s nothing to know that you would like. Maybe you''re trying to gather evidence from our conversation to use it against me or anything silly like that, but let me just tell you. I''m an old sack of bones now, nothing that you threaten me with will scare me now.


    The perpetrator had truly gotten old now. There didn''t seem to be any sparks of life within his eyes. All that remained were a pair of dead eyes, ones that seemed to be disappointed at everything.


    ''This isn''t going to be fun, is it? It''s going to kill me to keep going.''


    Xu Jiaqi thought that way not only because the man was obviously not on board with this meeting. The other reason was her exploding internal state right now.


    It was the remnants of the original soul''s feelings. It carried through after she possessed the body, and now that she was directly meeting the source of her trauma, it suddenly triggered a heaven-breaking change inside her.


    As she was speaking, she was actually doing her absolute best in trying to keep her tone straight and stop her body from trembling.


    "There''s no use in talking to me, young girl. There''s nothing I can do to you. If you want me to apologize, I can even spend the rest of my lifetime apologizing to you. Will it change anything, though?"


    Xu Jiaqi shook her head, but she insisted on the storytelling. The man ended up complying and spilling everything that led up to that incident, and how he was beginning to keep with the collapse of everything.


    ....


    ______


    Xu Jiaqi was laying in the bed as she kept crying, burying her head into a soft pillow to muffle her endless tears.


    It wasn''t that she was sad, it was her body''s natural response to the barrage of feelings she got in return for completing her side quest. Constant cries. Never once did her tears stop flowing in the three hours that she had been stuck to the bed for.


    The System accompanied her, being the prime target of her bullying as she kept herself sane with the emotions of the original soul continuing to mix itself with her own without permission.


    She got the quest done, but at what cost?


    Alas, all that matters now is that the other two quests were things that could already be considered complete, only needing to be polished a little it more before everything could end in this world.


    She had to say, the story this time was rather beautiful. In fact, all four stories she had been through had been quite interesting to say the least. They were all memorable and special.


    In this world, trauma played a huge part in the original Host''s reasoning.


    Perhaps the soul wanted to get some closure in order to fully face her past and let go of all the grievances that she suffered under. The fact that the world just couldn''t stand with her when she needed them, the fact that they had to wrong her. It was a bleak fate that a child had to suffer under, and it was by no means a good development point for the little Xu Jiaqi.


    She was distraught over the fact that she was suddenly alone, and also instinctively knowing that the ''guardians'' who said that they cared for her and wanted to take her in under their wing had lots of malicious intent coming out of them. A child was sensitive towards emotional spikes and internal thoughts. They would observe your attitude, atmosphere, and expression at any given second.


    Knowing that the Zhao family also wanted to hurt her, and that she didn''t have an escape out of all of this, who could imagine what Xu Jiaqi felt like under all of the pressure and pain? How did she live through her years, not attaining her peace?


    This side quest did not even ask much. She just wanted to mourn for her lost state. She wanted to look back one last time before finally going forward and staying in peace in the afterlife. This was the soul''s lingering attachments speaking to the world.


    It wasn''t hard to let go and forget about a crime as big as this, ones that ruined and overturned your life in an instant without caring about the consequences that it would bring forever.


    However, for the little Xu Jiaqi, who was left just too hurt from everything, it was enough.


    "...Haa. This is really driving me nuts. If I had known that this would happen, I wouldn''t have done the side quest. We could''ve just said that it was an error, right?"


    [..Yes. But then, you wouldn''t get the perfect grade you desire so much in that case. Are you willing to let go of that achievement?]


    "No, obviously. That''s why I looked for the quest in all directions, right? To think that instead of a reward, I''m getting this kind of emotional pain.. It''s too vexing, I can''t even bear to suppress these feelings. It''s just genuine.. wails. I can''t bring myself to describe it, but it''s painful.."


    Xu Jiaqi lamented. That child must already be somewhere in the afterlife, but it still bothered her a lot. This influx of emotions, it wouldn''t have been possible unless the original soul really did have a strong longing for this kind of resolution.


    Being exposed to something like this, it was no wonder that Xu Jiaqi, who wasn''t used to it, immediately fell into a deep hole that she couldn''t get out of. It was like she was drowning in a sickening whirlpool of emotions. Not being able to escape.


    "I hate this so much... When is this going to end, I wonder?"


    [Probably not soon, Host. You might not get how normal people work, but they usually grieve for long periods of time, you know? It''s just you that''s weird.]


    "..Hey, that''s rude. How can you say that to me?"


    [Host, do you know who the rudest person in this room is?]


    "Yeah, of course I know. It''s you, my sweet little baby System. To this day I still wonder why I keep you by my side constantly even though you''re such a big villain. How is this pitiful damsel in distress keeping herself intact under your tyranny, I wonder? Ah, I know, it must be one of my innate talents to do so." Xu Jiaqi ramble on and on, spouting nonsense that sat on top of her head.


    [...]


    Host, you really are an expert at making someone mad. Do you want to get hit for once, so that perhaps some common sense would finally return to you?


    Evil lady, you deserve to be subjugated!


    _____


    Unknown man: Who wants to subjugate my darling? I''ll chop you into small pieces. Come here.


    System: Puck you! Who called you here? Get away from my Host right now!! This isn''t where you''re meant to be!!


    Unknown man: My place is beside my darling <3

 Chapter 238 - 4.64

    "Are you alright? Do you need me to do anything?"


    "You can just stay by my side.. I don''t need anything else for now." Xu Jiaqi sighed, wanting to stop her sniffles but not being able to. It was so heartwrenching for her. The entire process.


    She didn''t even get to take a good look at the side quest''s details because it immediately triggered when she was in close vicinity with the man. From then on, she just went on a downwards spiral. Tears after tears that continued to pour out of her eyes.


    The other party kept on continuing with their story while Xu Jiaqi sat there in silence, holding back her sobs even though the tip of her ears were already as red as chili peppers. The perpetrator kept on asking if she wanted to stop, since she was doing a pointless thing and then he had already since long accepted his wrongdoings and everything. He knew he was a sinner and didn''t intend to hide from it.


    He was honest, but that honesty was also a weapon to Xu Jiaqi. The inner soul inside of her. The original''s remnants. Taking over another person''s body was unexpectedly strenuous in this sense.


    "...If you say so, then I won''t question it. Just know that I will definitely accomplish anything you ask me to. Even if it costs my life."


    "..Stupid. If you lost your life, who will I cuddle everyday? Do you want me to get a random man to cuddle with? Your position, do you really have the heart to let go of it, President?" Xu Jiaqi teased, blowing her nose on a tissue paper.


    Tang Yizhou tightened his lips, shaking his head from left to right repeatedly before leaning in for a kiss with the grief stricken Xu Jiaqi.


    "No, of course not. What are you talking about?" Tang Yizhou flicked Xu Jiaqi''s forehead and berated her in a light manner. "I could never let go of you. Before I die, I''m going to make sure that I stay in your memories forever. Or else, I''m never going to rest in peace in the afterlife, you know that?"


    "I know.. And that''s why I''m going to disappoint you for sure. I''m someone who forgets important matters easily, I think that you might just be forgotten if I''m not careful!"


    Tang Yizhou snorted before pinching Xu Jiaqi''s cheeks, wiping off her tears. "Why won''t you stop crying? You''re breaking my heart... It feels like shards of glass are stabbing into my body. It''s painful, Qiqi."


    "I''m just as pained as you~" Xu Jiaqi wailed. She felt quite pathetic, but understood that this was the cost of taking a body that wasn''t hers, and had a long history behind her. Her previous bodies were more resilient in terms of emotion control, it seemed. They were forced to mature. Even though they did have their fair share of tragedies, they absolutely weren''t weak minded.


    But this world''s Xu Jiaqi was someone who was crushed through and through and was never given a chance to see success, no matter how small it was.


    She tried her best to cope with the emotions, but her crying streak did not end until two days had passed.


    On the third day, she woke up with swollen eyes feeling that her mind had cleared up quite a bit from the previous days. It was a refreshing moment, being released from the unending sorrows the original soul brought to her.


    Perhaps the remnants had finally cut their connection to her. The mourning period was over.


    With this, Xu Jiaqi hoped that the original could finally get the satisfaction she had desperately needed for so long.


    She continued on walking to the future, going through the various processes she needed to wrap the world up. She eventually got married with Tang Yizhou, with only a few people attending their wedding due to the secrecy they wanted to uphold.


    Alas, Xu Jiaqi managed to get herself on the A-tier list of celebrities even though she wasn''t actively in the industry at all. With her getting recognition from all the various people around the world not only because of her tragic story, but also because of the various talents that she gradually showed as part of her ''recovering'' process, Xu Jiaqi''s name as a graceful artist who kept on continuing her path to stardom even though her appearance was starting to become a rarity in the field.


    With all of her tasks compiled and could be marked as completed, Xu Jiaqi was finally able to let herself go. As per mentioned before, the System worked in a way that once you were done with the missions, then the progress bar wouldn''t lower down since it would be considered finished.


    Xu Jiaqi now had a happy and fulfilling life with Tang Yizhou, with the man supporting her in every single move she made. Their relationship had already gone for about two years by now.


    Xu Jiaqi laid in bed, waking up from a deep sleep. She reached out to her mobile phone, which she used to scroll through some forms of entertainment for a short while before she decided to start her day.


    Xu Jiaqi shook her head, clawing through her strands of hair before pulling it up and clipping it into a bun. She yawned, covering her mouth with one hand as she walked towards the open window and exited into the terrace.


    She had to say, she was really lucky for having met Tang Yizhou. Without him, she doubted that things would end this early.


    It was also thanks to him that she managed to have quite some fun in romantic affairs here. Xu Jiaqi acknowledged that the other was a good man, but sadly he would be wasted if he was with her.


    She was someone who couldn''t hold any ties with any of the worlds she visited. Not only because it was her personal choice, but also because she was a transmigrating agent. After this world ended, she had to go forth to the other mission worlds and perhaps encounter a similar man like Tang Yizhou as well.


    This was why she didn''t want romance quests, because her conscience would eventually weigh down on her. The fact that she was this type of person. To her, it didn''t matter much, but she was someone who took responsibilities and applied it to the maximum level. She believed that one''s duties had to be performed, or else it was terribly wrong.


    For Xu Jiaqi to have entered a relationship with Tang Yizhou, it meant that she was taking him in, and adding on to her responsibilities through the relationship.


    It was heavy. Too heavy for a carefree spirit like her.


    ''I was created to be carefree..'' A thought flashed by Xu Jiaqi''s mind. And at that moment, her head began to hurt once again.


    She immediately cursed, foul language escaping from her mouth. Crouching down and holding her head, trying to soothe the pain, she gasped for air as she felt herself beginning to slip out of consciousness and on the brink of collapse.


    Tang Yizhou, who rushed into the room after hearing Xu Jiaqi''s pained scream was laden with shock when he saw Xu Jiaqi laying on the ground, once again not responding to his calls no matter how hard he tried to get a response out of her.


    "Qiqi! Qiqi!" Tang Yizhou frantically called her name, but to no avail.


    Xu Jiaqi''s consciousness was out, but the bigger problem was able to be seen by the System. It wasn''t just her consciousness, but also her soul itself. Another storm was coming, and this time, it won''t be as kind to them as it was before.


    The System watched as his Host''s connection with the space was once again cut off. He couldn''t believe it. One time, perhaps someone manipulated it behind the scenes. It was vexing, but this was the second time in a short span. How can this be? Just how trashy was the regulations up there?


    He was a special System, but he didn''t have the accomplishments to unlock his features just yet.


    [...This is a problem. A big problem. For fuck''s sake, I will kill the Main System one day.. The administrators, everybody!!! When I get to a high enough level, see if this ancestor won''t get you in trouble!!!] The System screamed in stress as he knew that more work was directed towards his way.


    The workflow wasn''t his main concern, though. It was his Host''s soul.


    The fragile soul that had been hurt so many times at this point that it was too problematic to even continue.


    But she had to continue. She had to march forward. Because this was the only way left to return everything and end on a happy ending.


    How was he going to solve this problem?


    [At this rate, Host might need to be ejected forcefully out of the world... That would mean harm for her!]

 Chapter 239 - 4.65

    As both Tang Yizhou and the System were panicking over different things, Xu Jiaqi herself had a predicament that she wasn''t able to solve.


    ''Mm..?'' Xu Jiaqi felt uncomfortable all over, but she wasn''t able to put her hands on the feeling. It was like she was entrapped inside a cocoon. There was a barrier preventing her from escaping. The same barrier also gave off a sense of security, tightly hugging her and making her feel whole.


    Her vision was dark. She was sure that she had opened her eyes, but in this place, it was as if nothing had changed. There was no source of light!


    "Where am I..?" Xu Jiaqi tried her hardest to speak out loud, but there was only a small sound that came out of her mouth. She felt sleepy, and uncontrollably tired. Like she desired to sleep forever, which was the complete opposite of her self that liked to keep herself busy with accomplishments. A balance between work and rest.


    Here, there was an overwhelming drowsiness that took over her mind. Her eyes felt heavy, and they struggled to stay open. Xu Jiaqi instinctively knew that something not so good would happen if she decided to close her eyes off and shut her consciousness down. Like a natural fear for life.


    But then, where was she? Where was the System?


    This wasn''t the first time that this kind of thing had occurred to her. Previously, the same thing happened with her being transferred to the ethereal creature''s realm. She wasn''t able to contact the System and only returned once a series of strange events occurred, as per the System''s explanations.


    But at that time, she was directly exposed to her conversational partner, rather than right now where she wasn''t aware of her surroundings in the slightest. It was much more scarier. An innate fear that stemmed from the bottom of her heart.


    She wanted to call out to someone that could respond to her and give her answers, but that sort of person was not present. She was just alone in the space, not knowing what to do anymore after spending quite some time in the cocoon like hold without any signs of actions coming to light.


    The longer she tried to struggle and keep herself afloat, the more it was harder for her. The only thing that prevented her from entirely giving up was her dislike of losing, and this scenario was one of such moments where her inner character came to light.


    Her fighting spirit was soon going to run out, however.


    Luckily, just as she was about to pass out for good, a voice suddenly rang and intervened in the silent space.


    [Child of light. My beautiful child...]


    Xu Jiaqi''s ears perked up.


    "Who are you?" She questioned hurriedly, not wanting to lose this connection no matter what.


    The voice was very gentle as it spoke to her. It was also very familiar, but she couldn''t pinpoint who the voice belonged to for sure.


    The voice did not reply. This made Xu Jiaqi very fearful, thinking that the voice had left her to be alone one more time. She panicked, but soon, the voice returned. This time, her surroundings started to unravel and open up. It revealed a pure white realm.


    In the middle of the realm, she saw herself. More specifically, a version of herself. It was her body, the exact same appearance and feel, but Xu Jiaqi could tell that it wasn''t her at all.


    The doppelganger began to open their eyes and mouth.


    [It has been a long time since we first met. You were born so gracefully, born from the fruits of life and blessed by the entire universe to prevail over others.. You weren''t supposed to meet this kind of fate, my dear child.] The figure approached Xu Jiaqi and extended their warm hand to caress Xu Jiaqi.


    With it, Xu Jiaqi felt like her soul was simultaneously being healed.


    "What is your purpose? You were the one who brought me here, correct?"


    [I want to show you some memories.. Scenes that I think you deserve to recognize.]


    "My System said that there are things that I shouldn''t know for the time being. Because my soul is in the state of being repaired, and seeing all of these memories will only bring me down. What do you have to say towards that statement?" Xu Jiaqi questioned.


    [Child.. The seal''s disappearance is near. That creature has been longing for you for so long that I have taken pity for him. Do you not wish to see what happened in the past?]


    "It will only hurt me.. will it not?"


    [It will be painful, but the truth is important. Without the truth, how can you proceed in the future?]


    "Why? Give me reasons. Why I''m here. Who I am. There are so many questions that I want to answer, but can''t." Xu Jiaqi protested. She was thrown here without any good explanation, so it was natural for her to not be so happy with the arrangement.


    Everything concerned her, but she was the one who was in the dark for all of it.


    [All of that will be answered as long as you look at your sealed memories, child.]


    "But I will just plunge myself into danger if I did that..?"


    [No. I...] The figure hesitated.


    "Why do you.. sound so sad?"


    [...I decided to make some important decisions. Ones that pertain to your wellbeing. I made some sacrifices.]


    "Hey, you''re not going to do anything foolish, right?" Xu Jiaqi didn''t know why, but she felt a lot of sympathy for the one speaking to her right now.


    [..I just want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy. Happier than anybody else in this world. You are the one true child of life.. No one else but you. Do you not wish to see your memories?]


    "...Instead of me, will you be in pain instead? I don''t like other suffering in my stead for no reasons at all."


    [It''s meant to happen one day. I am also weakening day by day, so I thought that I should prepare a huge surprise for you. End your suffering.]


    The voice continued on rambling, wanting to convince Xu Jiaqi to follow through with the memory seeking plan. But then. the voice suddenly escalated. Terror showed through them.


    [..My time is almost over. Qiqi, you only need one thing to fully open the seal. Your real name. Not Xu Jiaqi, but the name bestowed to you by the universe. Your real name is Estr-]


    Bzzt!


    The voice Xu Jiaqi heard kept blurring away towards the end. She couldn''t hear the end of the sentence.


    Her real name? She had another name? Estr- what?


    Was this another part of her real soul''s mysteries? She knew that there was something deeper.


    "Child of life.. Blessed by the universe." Xu Jiaqi looked at both of her hands.


    Drip!


    One drop of blood fell on top of her palm out of a sudden.


    Drip!


    Another one dropped, followed by the third, fourth, and so on.


    The drops of blood came from her eyes. Strangely, she didn''t feel pain. She just felt.. a lot of sadness.


    "My real name.. No- more importantly, his real name.. Ugh!" Xu Jiaqi felt like she was on the brink on recalling something important, but she just couldn''t remember it clearly. She was so close.


    Him.


    The man who loved her like nobody else would. The one who she went through countless years of pain for. That effort was reciprocated by the exact same person. That man. The one who was so important to her. How can she forget about him? Why did she forget?


    Pain struck her badly in the head, but she continued to bear it. She wanted to know. She wanted to recall it all. Realize what she had been missing all this time.


    It was her destiny! Her wish, her desire. Her everything.


    Right. She had an extremely important role. Forsaking that role, she chased away the chains of fate that bound her for that man. She fought against the lord of fate.. and many other figures that strongly wanted her to back away from that man and return to their side to live happily.


    But she didn''t want to do that.


    She was born to be a carefree spirit. A blessed child with enormous powers. But because she tripped and fell in love with a man she would trade her life for to be with, she was here.


    It was all coming together. The reason she was an agent. The reason she knew this wasn''t her first time as an agent either. Her identity.


    Who was he? What was his name?


    She only had half of her real name. If what the being said was true, then her real name.. Would be the key to unlocking everything.


    Even then, with only that half, she was starting to feel lines of memories come back to her.

 Chapter 240 - 4.66

    It was a story that she never thought she would see. It was completely out of her expectations, as non of these scenes existed inside her head prior to this encounter.


    Scenes starting flashing inside of her mind in an uncontrollable pace. Waves after waves of information attacking her from every single side. And after the transfer ended, Xu Jiaqi entered the body of another person. Someone with the same appearance as her.


    No. This time, it wasn''t just the appearance. She recognized this body. She was familiar with it. Because.. She was her?


    Xu Jiaqi''s head hurt even more when she tried to think of it. It made her sick. Her stomach churning nonstop.


    Where was she? She opened her eyes to a beautiful sight. A lily garden. The pleasant scent of flowers wafted around, calming whoever stepped inside the region.


    She was sitting on top of a hill. Beside her was a man. He looked like he had albinism, but not only his skin and hair, his eyes were also white. Devoid of life from head to toe. Such a man was sitting beside her, looking at her with a kind expression that seemed to ask ''what are you thinking of?''.


    Xu Jiaqi fell into silence as she didn''t know what this entire ordeal was. Where she''s located at. Why she''s here of all places. This was her memories. But.. must she accept them? Every single time she thought there was a hint to her past, she had to face extreme pain. It made her reluctant to continue. What if more pain.. is going to come at her? It was detestable.


    She became fed up.


    She looked over to the man, who was gazing at the starry night sky with gleaming eyes.


    She suddenly recalled. This was the beginning of everything. To be exact, after she had been created, this man.. built the world along with her. He was the Creator. She was the first soul that he had manifested. They painstakingly worked hard to create the world side by side, pouring in their ideas and painting the world according to their plans. Now, they were enjoying the beautiful results and immersing themselves in their creation.


    This was it. She was starting to remember. She really was a Goddess. Just not now. In the past. She was one of the founders of this world.


    Only, she couldn''t recall her name just yet. Her true name. She wasn''t Xu Jiaqi, she was someone else. It was a strange thought to behold.


    The man beside her was in a trance as he gazed at the sky filled with stars.


    Suddenly, she felt a strange pull happen to her. She talked without her desiring to say the words. It was as if the memories were starting to play itself.


    "Hmm.. I just thought of another meaning for Sol''s name," Xu Jiaqi mumbled, poking the Creator''s arm to get his attention.


    "And what would that be?" Turning his head to face the Goddess, the Creator tilted his head.


    "You''re like the Sun. The universe''s Sun. And I will be the Moon!"


    The Goddess'' excitement was contagious.


    All her emotions were always contagious and never did successfully escape when this bundle of emotions use her ability to her advantage.


    She was born to be that way. The Goddess of Life and Creation. She was the only one that the Creator treasured with his whole heart. His first partner. The only one who truly received his blessing. Not any of the other creation had ever received the same blessings.


    "Did you know that the Sun and the Moon can''t stay in the same sky at the same time?" The Creator chuckled, knowing that the Goddess must''ve forgotten about it. "Do you not want me to stay with you anymore? Is that what you''re implying?"


    "Uh... Then, we can just make the Sun and the Moon exist at the same time..?"


    "That wouldn''t work. We created their positioning so that they would never appear at the same time, right?" He reminded. "It''s our own idea. Are you going to go back on it? We created the solar system after spending so much time and effort, if we screw the balance over right now, there''s gonna be a lot of fixing needed here and there."


    "..Still! We are friends because we both, uh, exist in the sky..? Something like that. Anyway, it''s a good thing, so don''t question me any further! I am ending this discussion!"


    "Whatever you like.." He sighed.


    He knew that he could never win against the Goddess, who he had a soft spot for.


    Another day passed, and they continued on with their usual tasks.


    She came back to the lily garden to sit with him.


    It was his favorite place, and every time she wanted to look for him, there was a ninety percent chance that he was there. She glanced at the vast and endless space. This place was also one of her favorites, although she liked her castle more.


    Although she was happy staying with the him, there were certainly sentiments that pushed her to want something more.


    A whole new world filled with not just them, but tons of others that would scatter inside the realm and create so many scenarios and chains of actions by themselves.


    It was a waste. They had created this vast realm, but there was nobody else to enjoy it with them. If only..


    If only she could create more life. Not just animals, plants, or anything like that. Life in other forms.


    She didn''t know how to voice her thoughts. She worried that what she says would make the Creator unhappy.


    Because ultimately, the decision laid within the Creator''s hands. In terms of freedom and small decisions, the Creator left everything to her, but he was a responsible Ruler who knew what was right and wrong.


    If her wishes got too far, he wouldn''t acknowledge it. She wondered if she was going out of bounds with her wish.


    However, her desire still overcame her fears and made her utter a few sentences on the matter.


    "Say, why is there no one else? Except for us two.. When the universe is this vast?" She controlled her emotions carefully as she scrutinized the Creator''s expressions, wanting to detect his reaction.


    If he responded negatively, she would back out in a flash. She would snap her finger, disappear into who-knows-where, and lose the Creator until who-knows-when. It was as simple as that. She wouldn''t take any other outcome. She won''t be able to.


    She was ready. Her middle finger and thumb were stuck together, waiting for her to make a finger snap that would act as a cue to propel her away from this lily garden.


    Contrary to her fears, in response, the Creator only hummed.


    "Why, you don''t like me anymore? You want other people to entertain you?" The Creator stared into her eyes, making the Goddess'' cheeks redden from feeling flustered.


    "Not like that! I just had a thought.. Wouldn''t it be great if we could give life to many more entities? I feel like we should do that. We have the power to do it, but we are holding ourselves back. The world is ready.. no?" She pondered with a finger pressed against her plump lips.


    They had been going around creating the world and making it flourish, but they hadn''t made the denizens that would populate the space.


    "..That is true, but can you handle it?" The Creator tried to look at the matter from the peripheral stages.


    The world would still be intact even if life was created, but it needed a concrete core that could hold everything together.


    "I believes that the two of us can do it," Her eyes were clear and pristine, without a single speck of negative intentions.


    In face of such an approach, there were little things that the Creator could do.


    "..Well, it''s not like we can''t. In fact, I was thinking of making another world separate from this space. If we experiment here and there, wouldn''t we eventually succeed in creating the perfect world?" He theorized.


    She grew excited as her eyes sparkled with delight, wanting to hear more.


    "Then, let''s make it together!" I proposed happily.


    "Not that simple. We''re talking about an entirely separate realm here.. We can''t just let everything roam around as they please, and we can''t exactly create things the same way we did before," The Creator stopped her before anything bad could happen. "Remember, we are going to be playing with not just one or two lives. We are playing with an entire world. It''s our duty to make sure everything goes right,"


    "Also.. Their souls can be very fickle. They aren''t like you. Their thoughts, their decision making skills.. Unlike you, who is the purest form of life, they might not be the same."


    "I understand that perfectly! We were granted with the power.. So we should use it for good reasons! I promise that she won''t do anything bad," She stated with glee.


    The Creator heaved a sigh of relief. She was simple-minded, but she was also someone who kept her words.. Since she promised, then she wouldn''t dare break it.

 Chapter 241 - 4.67

    "But, how are we going to do it?" With the same old innocent tone, she asked.


    She was very excited about this plan. She looked forward to see her creations be populated by a bunch of interesting lifeforms. No matter what it came out to be, she wanted to accept it with an open heart.


    Right. No matter what it came out to be.


    "The World Tree.. Or should I say, the Tree of Origin," The man said.


    The Tree of Origin was as the name suggested- a tree that held the power of Origin. Origin- meaning the point or place where something begins, arises, or is derived.  Yggdrasil was its name. The Eternal Tree that contained the power that would be the source of everything. The Creator was someone who wielded the power, but the one that produces the energy itself was the tree.


    It could be said that the true owner of the universe should be Yggdrasil. Everything was sourced from that tree. Whereas the Creator was the administrator of the universe. The one and only true Ruler.


    "The Tree of Origin? I know what that is! What about it?" Previously, the Creator had told her about it. That time, the Creator stressed the importance of Yggdrasil, making her have a large impression of the tree.


    "Its roots act as a stabilizer for the entire universe. Recently, I have discovered that so long as the roots branches properly, there is a chance that we can create another space or realm separate from this one. It will still be connected to the World Tree, but their stabilizer would be different. Basically, we can''t really use our current place as the habitat, but we can create other spaces.. Other worlds for lives to thrive in."


    "..Let me simplify this. The roots, they can grow into another stabilizer that serves another realm, and that realm will stay connected with us, but they will be under the... whatever stabilizer they have?" She thought. It still wasn''t simple enough, to be honest. But it was understandable for her.


    A separate realm that wasn''t so separate. They would still govern over it, but they would have another administrator in charge of it. They just had the highest power over everything still.


    "More or less, yes," The Creator nodded as he approved her words.


    "Hmm... I get it. Let''s do it, then! I like the idea, I think we''re going to ace this. Say, I might not rest for a couple of months. I want to rea~~lly hammer in on this plan! I''m way too pumped up~" The woman cheered as she stood up and raised her arms up into the air.


    "If you don''t take rests in between the project, then when the world is fully launched, you''ll collapse out of exhaustion and won''t be able to witness the world''s first few moments. Do you not realize that, hm?"


    "Uhh.. Then I''ll take some breaks in between and make sure I won''t collapse right in the end. That should do the trick!"


    The Creator sighed, finding himself giving in to her wishes. So be it. He was way too lenient on her from the beginning, but he didn''t think it was bad.


    They began their plans and worked hard. They poured every single bit of their mind and soul into thinking and putting their ideas into practice. Whatever terms they found suitable to implement, they immediately ran and tested it in their first ''prototype'' world.


    It took some time to figure out every single piece of the puzzle.


    Time didn''t matter to them since they were immortal and couldn''t be destroyed, at least not under very specific conditions. They would have to relinquish the power bestowed in them. Their powers were their source of life, so after they were taken away, it would mean that the two beings wouldn''t be able to continue forth.


    Sure, they did it. With utter ease and perfection, at that. The prototype was ready to launch. They looked from their favorite lily garden. Setting up and cleaning the very last bits of their grand plan.


    The two made sure everything would go well. It was supposed to go well.


    They designed a blueprint for the world and filled in the lives that were supposed to come to light one by one. Starting from the locations, to the various inhabitants of the place.


    They created generators that would be able to run itself in the future, and respective administrators in charge for running said generators in case something went awry. They wouldn''t have to worry about every single entity. They could rely on the generator to give each corresponding creations their unique set of random characteristics. Not to mention, the administrators were there to take care of any possible danger signs should anything happen.


    They divided their tasks to two large groups. She was put in charge of the world''s foundational core, whereas the Creator worked on creating the world''s landscapes- something he was extremely good at.


    They still contributed to each other''s fields, but naturally they were much more engaged with their own.


    She loved beautiful things. With her imagination, she managed to create generators that would give life to various races. Spawn them into existence. First, she made one called ''Spirits''.


    They had humanoid features, but they would differ in size in accordance to the power they held. They had wings attached to their backs and would have cosmetic customization from the many arrays of colors that existed.


    Colorful things always caught her attention and love.


    The spirits successfully became the first race to ever exist, apart from the two deities. From the on, other races were created and established.


    As the Creator had said before, the holding power of this new realm was the ''child'' of Yggdrasil, a mystical Tree that contained traces of Origin Magic as well. However, it was nowhere near the Origin Magic Yggdrasil possessed.


    The Tree was called the Spirit Tree, named after the Spirit race that would be tasked with watching over the sacred tree.


    She created a plotline, a history for the founding of the world.


    The first race to emerge would be the Spirits, who live in a lush forest that is rich with energy and mana because of their situational benefits- that their enclosures were near the Spirit Tree. She designed every single attribute they would have, paying attention to the logic behind it as well.


    She thought about ways to maintain a connection between the two worlds. One that the denizens would be able to use without coming in contact with the upper realms directly. She granted a status to the Spirits. From the weakest to the strongest, there would be a loose hierarchy.


    One that stood above all those would then be called the King. She granted the ''Spirit'' or ''Fae'' King power to connect with the Spirit Tree.


    It would be able to channel the Tree''s messages and receive intel. To be precise, the Spirits were unofficial guardians of the world because of their specialties.


    A thousand years passed. Building a world from scratch was naturally not easy. It wouldn''t take a short while.


    From building the world''s exterior outlook to the interior section, to the future progression and features of the world, the two worked hand in hand to muster up their best creations.


    She ended up creating a total of five races after long sessions of thinking. They were the Humans, Spirits, Dragons, Beastkin, and lastly, Elves.


    She granted each of the races exclusive specialties and made their bodies all be based upon humanoid figures. She was most adept at creating humanoid shapes, but she loved each and every single race equally since they were born from her own thinking steps.


    Balance was important. In a world, there had to be balance placed everywhere. If the balance was tipped over, then the situation would quickly turn sour, and they couldn''t have that. Not after they had spent so much time working on this place.


    Not only creating things, they spent a lot of time working for the technical parts of it. Correcting anything that seemed out of the place and could break the supposed balance of the world. They were very careful with their moves as to not hurt anything substantial.


    After they were done, they had already lost count of the amount of time they spent. They only knew that their job ended. Their dream was fulfilled.


    She was satisfied looking at the prototype. She imagined the bustling life that would soon grace the lands the Creator created once everything was fully set off. It brought her unthinkable excitement and make her show a wide grin full of glee to the Creator.


    Even though the Creator originally began this plan to cater to her wishes, he had truly begun to enjoy it as well. Spending time with her and using their imaginations to create various things.


    He felt like he was expressing true freedom. Creativity.


    It was truly such happy moments that he stubbornly did not want to lose to anyone.

 Chapter 242 - 4.68

    And yet, they had to lose it. They lost it not because of a mistake the two made, but rather ones made by the creatures they breathed life into.


    With their first world, they failed miserably because of one matter.


    The scenes didn''t show what it was exactly, but it did show her coming in contact with a ''human'' male. It showed her having spent many moments with said man.


    The flashback was no longer as clear as the ones in the beginning, where she was able to actually experience the events happening and connect with the world. This time, all she could tell was a fuzzy string of image that formed a storyline.


    An extremely tragic storyline that in the end, cost everyone''s happiness and tore her soul apart.


    She faintly recalled that the Creator and the man she loved ended up coming together to work with the same goal. Saving her. They were desperate to bring her back.


    They continued to create more and more worlds. For her lifespan''s continuation. Even if it was just in the form of a fleeting soul, they wanted to preserve her, so they placed her into various prototype worlds.


    The man she loved also followed her into each world, wanting to watch over her. He couldn''t contain his memories when he went down to the lesser world, but it didn''t stop him. He believed that so long as he came across Xu Jiaqi, he would be able to recognize her and revive his love for her in a flash.


    Her sightseeing cut off there, but it was enough to draw extreme moments of anguish from Xu Jiaqi.


    The man. The memories she forgot. The real truth.


    Even this wasn''t close to the entire story. She hadn''t seen the details yet because her seals weren''t fully dismissed. What else did she forget?


    Her heart was in massive pain as she watched all the time go by, and the tragedies start to befall them one by one. They did nothing wrong. The universe itself didn''t want them to be together, but what was wrong with them?


    They were in love. They were happy with each other. And yet, the universe didn''t want that. How could that be? The fate was so cruel to them, so they tried to defy it. And yet, it still chased them down no matter where they tried to hide in. It never let them go.


    _______


    When Xu Jiaqi regained her consciousness, the scenes that played in front of her for a long time were no longer there. Instead, she was back in a familiar looking space.


    She was also able to feel a connection with the System, which meant that she had successfully returned.


    "...System, what on Earth happened?" Xu Jiaqi was absurdly confused. She didn''t even know what she was confused about. She was thrown into a pit of madness from all that had happened to her.


    [That''s what I want to ask you, Host! What happened to you? You suddenly collapsed, and, and.. I was just so lost..] The System had a lot of pent up stress inside him.


    Even though him and the Host were only supposed to have a coworker relationship, he had truly grown to like and cherish her as his companion. He had fun in their journeys, although the Host did have some troublesome moments that would make him contemplate his decision of making her a Host.


    Above all, he worried for her.


    Xu Jiaqi didn''t know what happened either. All that she remembered were very short flashes of the experience she went through. She felt like she had gone through years and years worth of stories, but the memories weren''t coming back into her head.


    She had forgotten. Yet again.


    ''No.. Not like this. Come on, remember. Remember anything. Just anything would suffice..'' Xu Jiaqi was desperate. She no longer wanted to continue this strange path of being disconnected with herself.


    After she tried her hardest to recall any piece of information, she finally managed to remember about the figure that came to visit her in her dreamlike state.


    And most importantly, how the man told her to realize her true name if she wanted to unlock every single secret in existence.


    But how could she do that? When her memories were this fuzzy? Was there even a solution to her dilemma?


    Xu Jiaqi was troubled. The only solution she could think was just like what the System had said a couple worlds back. Complete more missions in various worlds in order to gain more authority.


    That way, her soul would be strengthened, and eventually...


    "Right, what happened with my previous world? Don''t tell me I failed it just because I passed out? Did I die, or did I enter another coma? How is Tang Yizhou, that silly man?" Xu Jiaqi rapidly hurled a bunch of questions towards the System''s way, worried about every single one of them.


    [..Calm down, Host. First of all, I severed the connection between you and that world, so we are done with it. You are back in the System space. The missions were completed and graded, you managed to complete everything successfully. Tang Yizhou.. Host, do you want to take a peek on how he fared after you left?]


    "..Yes. Let me see. I''m sure that he''s.. doing well, right? Even if I went away like that.. He can''t possibly be.." Xu Jiaqi was afraid of only one thing.


    Because of him, the man was going to be hurt yet again. Broken.


    Even more strangely, she felt like there was something deeper in Tang Yizhou. In her mind, the information was there, it was just not able to be said. She just knew that Tang Yizhou was special and not just a man she randomly found and took a liking to.


    That being. The one she was tied to.


    Right. The one she ''loved''. The one she broke fate for. The one..!


    It was all coming back, piece by piece. She had fought with fate for him. The man, the inhabitant of the world she had.. created? The one who she sacrificed her powers for. The one she defied the Creator for.


    The Creator.. was also the one who made the entire Host and System management. What did that entail?


    Administrators placed at every single world. To keep the balance in check. To keep the connection between the various realms of the universe strong and untouched.


    It was that. Tang Yizhou was that man. To be more precise, he was a fragment of that man. Just like the previous worlds..


    Wait.


    Something wasn''t right here. She was sure that she continued on getting involved with the man in all the worlds she went through so far, but she didn''t have a clear memory of them. How can this be?


    "..System, did my memory of the previous worlds get erased?" Xu Jiaqi realized this.


    She was sure that she bonded with one man in every single world. And now, she had realized that each and every single one of them were the same person, just in different bodies and even bearing different personalities.


    It was all because he, like her, had to break fate into pieces even if it was at the cost of his own safety. He did it for her. He was that kind of man, the kind of person she hated the most.


    One that hurt themselves just for the sake of others. She had hated these types of people for so long.


    [..Host? What are you saying?] The System panicked inside, but tried to stay calm on the outside so the Host won''t notice anything out of hand.


    How could she know? Wasn''t the seal supposed to be..


    Wait. The seal was made by the Creator. And the one who could willfully save Xu Jiaqi from the Fate Lord, and also take her away like they did earlier...


    Was the Creator.


    So, in truth, it was all the Creator''s doing all along?


    What was his motives? Even if he was the absolute being, there was still one system that he had to wrok under. The Tree of Origin. The real Yggdrasil.


    If that tree still stands tall, even the Creator couldn''t fully utilize his powers willfully. He had to adhere to the set rules and standards. Things that were taboo still applied to him.


    And taking away Xu Jiaqi like this, when she was supposed to be an illegal existence.. Was considered a taboo.


    Why did he suddenly try to break the laws in such a straightforward manner?


    Up until now, he only supported the doings of Xu Jiaqi''s lover, but he couldn''t risk everything just to save her. He feared that everything would collapse. One person needed to be in control of everything, and that person was him.


    If he disappeared or fell into misery, then the whole world would be affected.


    That absolutely couldn''t happen.


    And yet, what was this sequence of actions?


    Was he crazy?