Imperial Capital's Scheming

The Long Bridge Canal, located in the southern part of Winter Arrival City, is a grand canal that runs through the north and south of the Tianyuan Kingdom. It's named as if it were a massive bridge spanning the entire country, connecting the northern and southern regions. As if to prove its name, a large bridge pier is built every few kilometers along the canal, facilitating passage between both sides of the river.

The Long Bridge Canal was dug 800 years ago. At that time, the nation mobilized its entire strength to connect several major rivers. Tens of thousands of Supernatural Ability users were dispatched in total. This undertaking is something few countries in the world could rival.

I am currently on a ship heading to the Imperial Capital, traveling south along this man-made wonder towards the Central Plains.

A super-family's ship is naturally extraordinary. Although it's far from comparable to ships on Earth, it's still the best that the Spirit Star's current industrial level can produce.

Functionality is secondary; the key is the arrangement! I am on the flagship of the entire fleet, where high-ranking individuals are located. On this luxurious grand ship, gold, sandalwood, jewels, and various other luxury items I can't name are everywhere. Fortunately, my previous stay at the Winter Arrival Hotel made me immune to such things, preventing me from acting like a bumpkin.

My room is located in the middle of the ship. At my strong request, Si Nan Yuan arranged the most "simple" room for me. Simple, meaning it only has a more elegant style, without gaudy items like gold and jewels. However, my sharp eyes still noticed that the tiles and wooden furniture in the room are of extremely high quality. If I broke them, I couldn't afford to replace them even if you sold me.

It's now the warm afternoon after lunch, a time that makes one sleepy, but I can't rest because--

"Thirty years east, thirty years west, don't bully the poor young man!"

Si Nan Ying leaned to her left, her left hand spread open, fingers covering half her face.

"Heaven and Earth are not benevolent, treating all things as straw dogs!"

Si Nan Ying changed her pose, crossing her arms over her head.

"If Heaven abandons me, I will defy Heaven and become a demon!"

Her posture changed again, legs apart, one hand on her hip, the other pointing forward.

"Dragons have reverse scales, touch them and you die!"

Her upper body twisted to the side, one hand on her forehead, the other on her chin.

"If Heaven fails me, what if I slaughter all living beings!"

Her legs bent slightly, and she pulled open the front of her shirt with one hand.

"My fate is mine to control, not Heaven's!!!"

Her final pose was the classic Kamehameha stance from Kakarot.

"Break!"

Whoosh! A bubble shot out from her palm, flew through the open window, and accurately hit a fish leaping out of the river. The unlucky fish instantly turned into scattered blood mist. The power and blast radius were controlled with extreme precision.

"Hahahaha~~ Above and below Heaven, I alone am honored, hahahahahahahaha!"

Si Nan Ying laughed up at the sky, her laughter extremely arrogant and giving me a headache.

Ever since she gained control of her Supernatural Ability, this girl has been in a state of euphoria, with boundless energy. Whenever she has free time, she tests her ability and then falls into self-adoration, laughing uncontrollably.

Honestly, I'm partly to blame... I was the one who taught her those strange poses. At first, I just taught her a few classic poses from JoJo and Dragon Ball for fun. I didn't expect her to get addicted. Now she has to strike a pose every time she uses her ability. Why do the poses look so cool on the Joestar family and Saiyans, but just silly and cute when she does them?

Although I taught her the poses, those incredibly awesome lines were all her own invention. "Thirty years east, thirty years west, don't bully the poor young man" and "My fate is mine to control, not Heaven's." They sound exactly like the standard lines of a Dragon Proud Heaven. Could she have the potential to be a Dragon Proud Heaven?

But thinking about her background carefully: she's the youngest daughter of a prominent family, highly talented but long overlooked. After going out for a trip, she finally gained control of her powers, becoming a genius powerhouse, and is now returning to show off...

...Isn't this the standard opening of a Dragon Proud Heaven novel?

Could I have accidentally gotten involved with a Dragon Proud Heaven? That doesn't seem bad. After all, in novels, followers of a Dragon Proud Heaven are treated well as long as they pretend to be loyal and fawn over him. Speaking of which, Dragon Proud Heaven usually refers to males. Should female characters with Dragon Proud Heaven attributes have a different title? What should I call them? Mary Sue? Dragon Proud Tsundere? Feng Xiang Tian? Wu Zetian?

As I was lost in thought, there was a knock on the door. Before I could respond, Si Nan Yuan opened the door and walked in... Hey, hey, at least wait for me to say something! What if I happened to be... you know?

Si Nan Yuan looked at Si Nan Ying, who was completely lost in self-adoration, and shook her head helplessly.

"Miss is very excited. It's good that she can control her Supernatural Ability, but it's not good to become this arrogant because of it," she said, looking at me. "It would be great if someone could dampen her spirit a little."

"You mean you want me to fight her when I have the chance and teach her how to behave?"

"It's wonderful that you're so understanding."

"Come on... You're definitely not here just for that."

"That's right." Her expression instantly became extremely serious. "Elder Hong wants to see you."

"Elder Hong, Miss Liu is here."

"Come in."

I nervously pushed the door open and walked in. Elder Hong's room was located at the rear of the ship. I don't know what kind of design was used, but the sounds from outside couldn't be heard at all, and the sounds from inside couldn't get out.

The room was extremely simply furnished, but I realized that the cost of this room was definitely the highest among all the cabins. This is because its four walls were not made of ordinary materials but were crafted from entire blocks of high-grade Spirit Stones. Just by entering, I felt much refreshed.

Elder Hong looked pale and unwell, but he insisted on sitting in a wooden chair, his posture perfectly upright, as if preparing for a formal meeting. I couldn't help but feel more respect for him.

I imitated his posture, sitting upright in the chair opposite him, my back straight, feet together, and arms resting on my legs. I even lowered my hood. The moment he saw my face, he showed an expression of admiration. When he saw my proper sitting posture, his eyes showed more appreciation. It seemed my impression on him was quite good.

"I never expected Miss Liu to possess such beauty. Once we reach the Imperial Capital, you will definitely not be outshone by the young lady of the Tartaglia family."

"You flatter me." I didn't know how to respond to his sudden praise. After a moment of consideration, I gave the most prudent answer.

Elder Hong stared at me for a moment. His eyes, sparkling with brilliance, made me feel completely seen through, and I couldn't help but feel a little flustered. However, I kept my expression calm and sent him a signal of goodwill.

After a moment, Elder Hong withdrew his gaze and smiled slightly. "What a cautious girl. You understand the atmosphere well and know how to conduct yourself. Much better than that unruly fellow."

"Ah... that..."

Elder Hong waved his hand, signaling to end the topic.

"Now, let's get down to business."

He leaned forward slightly.

"Once we reach the Imperial Capital, please be sure to help Little Ying."

Help her?

My mind raced, trying to decipher his meaning. Si Nan Ying had also told me before that among the six siblings, she was the weakest and lacked even the ability to protect herself. Being weak meant needing trustworthy companions. Over these past few days, my relationship with her had grown closer, and I had come to understand her personality and abilities well. To add a companion, I was naturally the best choice. Elder Hong had also just said that he believed, "Once you reach the Imperial Capital, your reputation will absolutely not lose to that young lady from the Tartaglia family." A strong reputation meant people would try to recruit you. After spending these days together, I had learned quite a bit about Elder Hong and Si Nan Yuan. If I were to join her four brothers, it would inevitably be detrimental to Si Nan Ying, and at that point, we would surely end up on opposing sides.

So... Elder Hong was actually asking me if I wanted to be a friend or an enemy?

If I wanted to be a friend, I was warmly welcomed.

If I wanted to be an enemy... I was afraid I wouldn't even be able to leave this room alive.

Given that, there was only one answer left for me.

"Once we reach the Imperial Capital, if she encounters any difficulties," I carefully chose my words, "I will definitely stand by Little Ying's side. Even if I can't help, I will absolutely not hold her back."

Elder Hong's brow relaxed; it seemed he was quite satisfied with my answer, and I also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then, in the future, Little Ying will have to rely on your care."

He solemnly extended his hand, and we shook on it.