Volume 1, Chapter 25: Creating a Diversion

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“Where’s your integrity? Didn’t you say that surviving in this world required integrity? Did you throw every last scrap of it onto the ground just now? Pick it up!” Zhang Zheng pointed at Li Chao, who was looking out the window and whistling with a guilty air.

The villagers who had come to offer wedding gifts were too busy to visit during the day. Only at dusk, when they could no longer work the fields, did they begin arriving one after another. The feast was arranged on the drying ground in front of the house, beneath a large tent made of canvas.

“Hmph,” Jiang Youbing said. “I really do hate certain kinds of people.” Then he left, leaving Zhang Ye alone in the room. Sitting there by himself, Zhang Ye gave a bitter laugh. The person Jiang Youbing hated must have been him. He rubbed his head, genuinely unable to understand what about him could possibly be so detestable. As far as he was concerned, he was quite agreeable.

A blow that had lost its force would cause little harm even if it landed on the body. The art of Tai Chi had its own principles for redirecting force; one could not simply discharge it at will. If the method was wrong, not only would the attempt fail, but the enemy’s attack might instead be drawn straight toward oneself.

Once the call connected, Qin Huang spoke with his father. Qin Huang’s father agreed to send half of the Qin family’s guards to Huzhou. One reason was to atone for the sins of the Qin elders; the other was that his son would soon be heading to Yuzhou. Protecting his son meant protecting the future of the Qin family.

Ye Feng suddenly froze. He spun around and gazed into the distance, where he saw three familiar figures.

“Yes. Once the city wall is built, you and your army may leave.” He wore a smile. Zhang Ye’s heart gave a sudden jolt. He did not entirely trust the man. When the time came, he would have to prepare for every possibility. If this turned out to be a trap, things would be disastrous.

Though he was deeply shocked inside, he had weathered many storms. Emotions of this sort would never easily reveal themselves on his face.

“You go ahead. I’m not going.” Why would she go and present herself like a treasure? Besides, Qi Mingye would be leaving her home in a few days. His car had nothing to do with her.

He Zao suddenly felt her eyes sting. She blinked, forcing the moisture back.

“Master Feng, you and I are not particularly familiar. Please don’t address me so intimately.” Long Qing’er turned around and spoke in a cool, detached voice.

After that, everyone in the command cabin watched the images on the screen with hopeful anticipation. When the probe reached the outskirts of the town, Sprede suddenly seemed to realize something, and a trace of worry appeared on his face. After hesitating for a moment, however, he said nothing about it.

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It was not until evening that Madam Ma returned from town with He the Elder and Lianqiao, all smiles and brimming with joy.

The pearl ornament in her hair playfully brushed against his chin, making his heart itch and melt into a pool of tenderness. This was the first time she had主动ly nestled into his arms.

Upon hearing this, Liu Ningyou finally remembered that she had not had time the previous day to tell Xuan Luoli what she had seen in the ice cellar. She therefore recounted the entire incident without leaving out a single detail.

“Are you grieving?” Her voice was like cold strings, producing a frigid melody whose icy chill seeped straight into the depths of his heart.

By comparison, the Empire’s astral stones, which were refined according to principles similar to those of Taoist talisman arts, could reach seventy or eighty percent of the same level even under equal conditions. That alone was enough to trample the Federation’s battle-energy astral stones beneath their feet.

“Besides that, Tianlin, is there nothing else you wish to say?” Jing Wan looked into his eyes as she spoke.

“Will you reclaim the stolen eagle standard? Father, will you become a battle hero of Rome?” Paluma raised his head and asked.

The metal gate they had entered through was already closed. Gordon was certain that Alawi would never let them escape that way, so he chose another route.

“Clap, clap, clap!”

Applause rang out. The two people and the cat released one another and turned toward the sound. A Zhi was walking toward them.

Chu Haoran thought it over for a long while and decided that the greater good had to come first. It was a little regrettable, but there would be plenty of opportunities in the future. Missing one or two chances hardly mattered.

He paid no attention to the arrows that struck the protective spell and bounced away like raindrops. Instead, he flung out two fireballs, destroying the two scorpion ballistae that posed the greatest threat to the enemy.

The room was like a cave dwelling, thick with smoke and reeking horribly. Of the gamblers gathered around the table, nine out of ten were eunuchs. They rolled dice while picking their ears, kneading their feet, then sniffing their fingers afterward. From time to time, they would grab at one thing and paw at another, heedless of propriety.

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Everyone else thought the same. Xiong Yasheng could scarcely believe his eyes. The chips he had been certain would secure his victory had vanished in an instant. Just as Chu Haoran had said, the balance had completely tipped toward Chu Haoran’s side—even his own life was now held in another person’s hands.

What was more, Gordon had brought out the dimensional bag intending from the start to sell it to Lucky Coin. He had done so merely to strengthen his ties with the others, not to make money. Otherwise, he could simply have kept the dimensional bag without saying a word and sold it at Duro’s shop after leaving the Danze Ruins.

“Kalabis, Mother says you’re my father.” Held in Kalabis’s arms, Niko was drowsy from being rocked, her eyelids growing heavier as she spoke.

Before he reached the car, he saw a bespectacled middle-aged man pacing beside the window of the jeep, occasionally peering inside.

“Husband, is what you said true?” Ding Yezhi gazed at Hao Ling with shining eyes, as though she had just discovered some priceless treasure.

The last time Liuli had stayed at the Wu Residence, she had entered and left several times through the side gate in the rear courtyard. This was her first time entering through the inner gate. She examined everything carefully along the way. The Wu Residence occupied a remarkably large area, yet its towers and courtyards were not particularly extravagant. The flowers and trees were lush, and some of the secondary wives appeared to have been there for many years.

The Imperial Physician belonged to the emperor. If anyone truly moved against him, would that not be like plucking hairs from a tiger’s backside? The emperor might say nothing aloud, but he would certainly resent it inwardly.

Just after midnight, Yu Liu, who had been sound asleep, suddenly opened her eyes. Her pitch-black pupils instantly lit up with a terrifying red glow.

Home… I still have to go back, don’t I? Xiong Xiaobai looked at herself in the mirror. Even if she did not want to see An Weichen, she still had to go home and pack her belongings first, didn’t she?

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