Volume One, Chapter 38: Desert City!

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The young eunuch hurriedly responded and went to inform the Imperial Consort to prepare for the night. At that moment, Emperor Zhou’s face was alight with pleasure, and he left the Hall of Mental Cultivation with a hearty laugh.

The old Taoist watched the emperor’s departing figure, a mocking smile curling at his lips.

…

Early the next morning, the Prince of Jing’s residence.

“My lord, you are to enter the palace today. It is time to rise.”

Yin Cong continued to introduce the other people in the room to Xi Zhi. However, when he came to Qiao Luo Qie, Xi Zhi’s expression changed slightly, as if she did not remember what had just happened.

Han Sui had ordered him to lead his own troops to block the enemy, but what troops did he have left? All he could rely on was a scant hundred cavalry who had followed him. Expecting them to stop Zhao Yun was like pouring a cup of water onto a cartwheel—utterly futile. All he could do was charge westward for a stretch and then reconsider his options.

At this moment, Liang Ping also realized the difficulty in Kong Jing’s position. It had taken so much effort to completely surround Pianjiao City, and the assault had not even begun. Now, suddenly, troops were to be drawn away—clearly, this was not the time.

Others noticed the strange behavior of Qi Bao and Qin Moyu; one by one, their gazes turned curious and subtle. Even Dong Qingling kept casting glances their way, obviously intrigued by the change in Qi Bao and Qin Moyu.

“Difficult? What do you mean? I am merely fulfilling my duty and following regulations,” Yang Yu said, watching the young man before him remain utterly calm. He felt a flicker of dissatisfaction. He had expected, given the other’s youth, an angry retort or even a confrontation—certainly not this composed acceptance or an apology.

Qi Bao, curious, quietly slipped away while his parents were greeting the imperial relatives and nobles. He stopped in a secluded garden within the princely residence.

Without hesitation, Su Cheng spent one hundred technology points. Since the Technopolis held the leading position, equipping was extremely simple—almost all the armor components were transmitted directly through the void, seamlessly covering his body.

These were ready-made products; as soon as the points were spent, the production line appeared in his inventory, lying there quietly.

The popularity of using Colossus as a tank hero was rising—so much so that it seemed whichever top-laner did not pick Colossus was doomed to lose, though in reality, that wasn’t the case.

A thousand miles is no mere figure of speech. For Shi Xin to travel from Jiaozhou all the way to Zhao, he would have to pass through at least three provinces and the territories of several warlords—crossing ninety-nine rivers, climbing ninety-nine mountains, braving chaos and danger, before he could finally meet him.

He saw the other’s limit; the owner of the marketplace congratulated Tang Feng, treating him as though he were the God of Wealth himself.

Suddenly, Zhao Yougong, who had figured it all out, was overwhelmed by despair. He collapsed, staring blankly at those around him, filled with regret. But what was done was done; regret came too late. Some things, once happened, could never be undone.

Yet all of this was but wishful thinking. From the day he met Qingxuan, he had entered this circle; from the day he married into the Chengji domain, he had become part of it forever. The labels now stuck to him would not be easily removed.

“Bah! As if it would ever be your turn. Don’t forget, you still owe me a favor,” Lan Bing said angrily.

If it hadn’t been for the final betrayal of Lord Mo Wangya, the Heroic Collection would have had to sacrifice itself to erase everything.

Staring at the sudden appearance of this Kurumi doppelganger, Mana Sonomiya’s face showed a trace of astonishment, her body shifting defensively.

Moreover, in history, Zhao Huan was to be the next emperor of the Song, but Zhao Gou never truly imagined himself as emperor. Seeing his father’s helplessness as emperor, Zhao Gou felt that it was better to live freely as he did now. As long as he held power, even without the throne, nothing could threaten him.

All became still… The entire world seemed to fall silent at the very moment when Li Hao uttered those words.